Old Friends and Serial Killers
by Miku Siran
Summary: Grissom gets a call from the Manhatten SVU unit by an old friend. His team is on the case where a serial killer leaves no clues after his kill. What happens when one of their own falls prey to an insane killer? Lots of random relationships...SVUCSI crosso
1. Favors, Blood, and Pride

Vegas Meets Manhatten

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters of CSI or Law and Order SVU

Summary:

The SVU team is dealing with a case where there is no evidence and there is sign of a possible serial killer on the loose. Warner calls in reinforcements. The Las Vegas Crime Lab. What happens when Vegas meets Manhatten and sparks fly? Everyone gets a little taste of each other, but someone will get hurt because unlike Vegas, things that happen in New York don't just stay there. AlexNick, CaseyGreg, CathGris, EllOli, MunSara, and others

Chapter One- Favors, Blood, and Pride

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Melinda Warner groaned in frustration. "You have got to be kidding me." She raged. Nothing from her forensics team. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. The group had never done anything wrong, but she couldn't deny that their lack of experience made their skills very limited on super tough cases.

Melinda was swallowing some aspirin when Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler walked in.

"What have you got for us?" Olivia asked.

Elliot followed her, giving Melinda a slap on the back. Melinda winched. "Ow Elliot." She said slowly.

Elliot apologized and leaned his weight against the counter. "So what's up doc?" he teased.

Melinda was not in the mood. Usually she would play along just to humor the detectives, but that was only when she had good news to share.

"Could you get your ass off my counter?" she asked, sounding angrier than she felt.

Elliot immediately got off. Olivia put a hand on Melinda's arm with a concerned look in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Melinda?' she asked, her voice laced with worry.

Melinda sighed. "Forensics came back with nothing. Not ever a hair. Nothing out of place." She said slowly, watching for Elliot's reaction.

As she suspected, he exploded. "Five women have been raped and murdered! And you're telling me there was nothing?" he demanded.

Melinda shook her head. "Elliot I'm sorry, but there was nothing. Nothing that the team saw anyway. It was an empty apartment, whoever did it, cleaned up good. No semen. Nothing." She said, moving out of Elliot's reach.

Elliot was red with anger and with that, he stormed out.

Melinda visibly relaxed. Olivia understood what she was feeling.

"It's okay." Olivia comforted. "We'll get him some other way."

Melinda was breathing a little quickly. "I thought he was going to hit me." She said softly.

Olivia grave her a hug. "Trust me. He never would." She said firmly. "I used to be scared of the same thing. Not so anymore, he would never hurt anyone that didn't deserve it."

Melinda believed her…barely. "Olivia, I think we need help on this case. I think I'm gonna call in a really big favor." She said.

Olivia nodded. "I'll get Elliot and head back to the precinct and see if we can dig up anything about the victim's past." She said, rushing out to find Elliot.

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Olivia felt a headache coming on. Elliot wasn't doing much better. She risked a glance at him, admiring him. He made her heart beat faster and her breath catch in her throat. She looked down. _Damn._ She thought. She was working. She couldn't spare time for those kind of thoughts.

Elliot was ready to kill someone. Nothing. Nada. Nothing about the victim. They couldn't even figure out who she was. He sneaked a glance in Olivia's direction. She was so beautiful and strong. She was fiery and watched his back better than any partner ever had. He was so in love.

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Catherine Willows was working on a case. Her eyebrows were knotted together as she focused on taking samples of every single strand of hair and every single drop of blood at the crime scene. Gil Grissom was working with her and both were focused intently on their work.

"Hey Gil." She called. "I think I got something here."

Grissom moved to examine it. "It looks like glue." He said.

Catherine had a thoughtful expression on her face. "What would glue be doing in the middle of a desert?" she wondered out loud.

"Your guess is as good as mine." He answered the strawberry blonde.

Catherine rolled her eyes. "This is weird." She said managing to find a small blood drop on the dirt. "Passive." She said, quickly diagnosing it.

Grissom glanced at it. "Hey there's a dung beetle." He pointed out and picked it up.

"They don't usually live around here." Catherine commented as she glanced around the trees.

Grissom's phone suddenly rang. "Grissom." He said as Catherine eyed him curiously with her clear blue eyes.

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Melinda was uncomfortable. She hadn't asked for a favor in forever, but this was the fifth case of the same mentality and she couldn't afford to let her pride cost any more lives. Her forensics personnel were good, but to outsmart this guy, she needed the best. She needed her old friend Gil Grissom.

"Gil?" she asked.

The voice on the other side sounded surprised.

"I need to you come to New York." She said pleadingly into the phone.

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This is my first cross fic and I'm wondering if I should post it both under CSI and Law and Order SVU. Can I do that? R&R if you liked it.


	2. New York, New York

Chapter Two- New York, New York

Thanks to Who-will-change-the-world, obsessedwithstabler, big-smiles-all-around, KWillows, and LegaspiWeaver for their reviews! This update is for them! I posted this twice. Once under CSI and once under Law and Order SVU, so I'm combining the thanks on one story. You guys rawk!

Disclaimer: Don't own any characters

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"We're what?" Nick Stokes demanded as Grissom explained the situation.

The whole team stood before him in a little clump.

"We're going to New York, Nick." Grissom said calmly. "Tomorrow. Pack quickly."

Catherine held up a hand. "You can't be serious Gil. Not all of us can just pack up and leave. I need to find someone to watch Lindsay." She said logically.

Warrick Brown rose his hand.

"This isn't the eighth grade Warrick, what?" Grissom asked.

"Uh, I have no problem with it." He said.

Greg Sanders nodded in agreement. "As long as I get to work in the field."

Catherine and Sara Sidle, the only two girls on the team, whirled and exclaimed, "NO!"

Greg made a face. "Give me a chance." He begged.

Grissom rubbed his temples. This was not how he had planned this to happen. He didn't think a case in New York would be such a big deal, but he had forgotten that some people other than him had a life outside of the office. "Catherine in my office now." He found himself saying. He had to convince everyone one by one.

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"Catherine, can't your mother watch Lindsay?" he asked patiently.

The strawberry blonde sat across from him, cross-legged. The posture made Grissom's heart tighten and his mouth go dry. Legs that went on forever with those sapphire blue eyes that looked deep into his soul. She was ambitious, strong, and responsible. She was raising a daughter, by herself. Her story never ceased to amaze him. How she came from a small town in Montana, to Vegas as an exotic dancer, and then poured her money into college to get where she is today, one of his most trusted CSI. His second-in-command. The only one he never has to check up on.

Catherine sighed. "My mother went back to the country for the weekend, but I'll see if my neighbor can watch her. Worse comes to worse, I might have to take her with me." She said.

Grissom took a deep breath. "Catherine, I really appreciate this. An old friend of mine really needs this favor and I need the entire team, especially you. No one knows blood better than you do." He said softly.

Catherine was won over. "Okay, I give. Please don't pull the pity act on me." She said with a smile, her voice dripping with so much sarcasm that Grissom had to laugh. "I'll bring Lindsay with me. Maybe she'll get a chance to see another part of the country."

Grissom got up to show her out. "Thanks Cath." He murmured as she walked out.

She turned to smile at him. "Anything for you Gil." She said flashing him a smile that made his heart turn.

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Convincing Nick didn't take long. Grissom found out that Nick was just worried that no one would be able to handle the Vegas crime lab with them gone. Grissom had explained that even before the team was here, there were people running it and all major cases would be put on hold for them. Nick gave in after that.

He was a nice guy…Texas born and bred. A good old-fashioned country boy. He had his quirks of course; they all did, however the ladies were attracted to his sweet demeanor like bees to honey. He always treated his ladies to coffee not beer and had the politeness and manners of a boy from the country. His work was always good and he was probably the most stable of all the CSIs. Grissom was glad to have him on the team.

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After Nick was convinced, Grissom picked up his phone. Warrick and Greg were eager to go. Sara never cared. She liked her job and if her job took her to New York, then she would follow it to New York.

Melinda picked up on the first ring. "Hey." He said. "We'll be there tomorrow."

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Melinda punched the air. "Yes." She whispered. She was finally going to have some professional help. She did the autopsies and she never missed a thing, but on the crime scene was a different story. Her specialty was the body, not the evidence. Her team of new forensics was not good enough for this case. Grissom was the best she had ever known and she knew his team would be made of the best of the best.

She smiled as she recalled the days when she and Grissom went the same school. He was weird, the geeky kid that always made the top score in science. The two of them had been friends for a while, but she still felt like there were things about the introverted man that she didn't know. She knew more then enough though and their friendship was solid. His mother had been deaf and so Grissom had learned sign language and in time taught Melinda. He was one of those guys that had a liking for things she could never understand. Such as bugs. She never understood that but she dealt with his bugs, because he was a good person. She got up and dialed the SVU.

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Ten minutes later, the whole squad was in front of her. Cragen was a little annoyed. He was the leader of the team and wasn't used to having Melinda call him and demand that he show up in the morgue without a good reason. He hoped she had one.

Olivia and Elliot were sitting close to each other. The two of them had built a close friendship and stuck by each other no matter what. Olivia was leaning against the counter and Elliot had his hand on the counter right beside her and standing slightly in front of her as if protecticing her.

Detectives John Munch and Odafin or Fin Tutuola were quietly arguing again. Something about Munch's paranoia about government conspiracies and Fin softly cursing at him to shut up so he could hear what Melinda was going to say.

Casey Novak, the ADA, slapped Munch gently on the arm and pushed a strand of red hair out of her eyes. "Hush." She hissed at him. "I think what she has to say is important.

Beside the redhead was a pretty blonde that was glaring at Munch with an icy cold blue stare and radiating anger as her main aura. Munch fell silent. She was Alexandra Cabot or also known by the SVU as Alex. She was the head DA and assisted in a lot of cases because of her familiarity in SVU territory and one of the toughest DA's. Anyone in the courtroom that wasn't with her, risked being burned by her fiery temper and ruthless words.

"Melinda, ignore the idiots. Tell us what's up." She said quietly. She rarely had to raise her voice. Her quiet but firm tone always attracted the attention of the entire room.

Melnda cleared her throat. "We're getting no where with this case. We have no evidence, the body isn't reliving anything other than the fact that the girls were raped and then killed in different methods. There is nothing similar about the cases, we can't even be sure it's the same person. The only thing we know is that each of the girls had paint on their hands. That's not gonna get us anywhere." She explained.

Olivia banged her fist on the counter. "I think we know what we're not getting Melinda." She said wearily. "I've been looking through those files, trying to find something. There is nothing that I can find. Nothing. I can't even begin to understand how this is happening."

Elliot moved to rub her shoulders. He was worried too, his partner was beyond stressed. He had gone home last night to be with his kids, but he knew that Olivia had stayed at the precinct. She had worked late that night and he had gone to work that morning finding her asleep on her desk with evidence photos scattered all around her.

"Tell us something we don't know, Melinda." Casey said hopefully, trying to keep Munch and Fin from diving down each other's throats. They were upset about finding nothing about the case and were ready to take it out on each other.

Melinda took a breath. "I called an old friend of mine for a very big favor. He's one of the best forensic scientists I know, he started working at the Vegas crime lab when he was 22. He's the best of the best and his team is made up of the best forensics scientists anyone can find." She explained.

Cragen was thinking it over. He wasn't comfortable about some random people coming onto his territory, working his case. Melinda seemed to read his mind.

"We have no choice Cragen. Someone's been killing girls and the scenario is strangely similar to a case they covered once. The real killer was never found, but they found the copy cat and he was executed." Melinda continued. "I know you guys don't want them on your territory, but I can't work another day with the group of amateurs that ruin the crime scene and lose evidence."

"She's right." Alex spoke up. The whole room to focus on her. "We don't have much of a choice. Five girls are dead in a week. Who knows how many more. We need solid evidence. We need some leads. We're being pushed into a corner here and I'm saying what Melinda's saying is a good idea. They know this case, I've read up on it. The Vegas team knows this case front and back. They can help."

Olivia was already agreeing with Alex. "She's right. Right now, it's not an issue of politics or pride. It's about getting this guy and putting him behind bars."

"By all means necessary." Elliot finished.

Munch, Fin and Casey were staring at Cragen. Casey felt like she had to speak out. "Don." She said softly. "We can't spare another week chasing nothing. We need something."

Fin and Munch were thinking about bribery. "Come Cap, I'll give you twenty bucks." Munch tempted.

Casey turned. "I so didn't hear that." She said in warning tone at Munch. One bribery charge could ruin the case.

Cragen gave in. "Okay, Melinda, do what you have to do, just give us something."

Melinda smiled. "They'll be arriving tomorrow. I'll call you guys back in when we have to brief them."

The rest of the team gave a sigh. Another night and who knows what would happen that night. Another girl could be dead, the killer could have fled the country. They didn't know. Part of them didn't want to know.

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Wow that was long! R&R and I'll update. Got some good ideas. I wonder what relationships are coming up…hint hint. ENJOY!


	3. Sparks and Heartache

Chapter Three- Sparks and Heartaches

Thanks to obsessedwithstabler, big-smiles-all-around, and CocaCola1052 for their reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone so if I die there wouldn't be a fight over who gets the characters.

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The plane took off on a dreary, rainy day in Las Vegas. Catherine had awoke a dawn and realized her daughter hadn't packed yet. The two had scrambled around trying to get everything together and caused the team to nearly miss their flight. At the moment she was wedge between Grissom and her daughter. Her daughter was staring out the window and laughing at everything. Grissom was examining some files. Catherine was taking advantage of the free time and sleeping, her head leaning on Grissom's shoulder. He didn't mind, in fact, he wanted it there. It made him feel wanted and it felt so right for him to look to one side and see her sleeping form.

Sara was typing furiously on a laptop. She was reading over the case they were going to cover. The killer had apparently moved territories. From Las Vegas to New York. She wanted to know why. She flipped through the old files.

Nick glanced her way. She was so obsessed sometimes. Sara was the hardest worker on the team, beside Grissom himself. She spent nearly all the time in the lab, working on the cases. She wasn't anything gorgeous to look at, with her short brown hair falling in messes around her head and she wasn't really a people person either, but no one could deny that she always did a thorough and good job on her cases. He didn't have a problem with that. He just had a problem when she's a grouch after working all week with no sleep.

Nick let out a sigh. They had already gotten partners for the case. He was with Warrick. Lucky him. At least he didn't have Greg, he felt bad for Sara, she would have to deal with the rookie the entire trip. He silently wished her luck. Grissom had taken Catherine for himself, no surprise there. She was very pretty and all the others noticed how Grissom liked to hover over her. Nick silently laughed. _I'm gonna cash in big. _He thought.

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Olivia and Elliot sat in the car, waiting impatiently. Well, Elliot was waiting impatiently, Olivia was taking a nap. Elliot checked his watch just as Olivia stirred and woke up.

"Hey El, are they here yet?" She asked yawning and stretching.

He glanced in her direction. _How could such a beautiful woman be a cop? _He asked himself. But said outloud, "Nope."

Olivia sighed. "Wait, I think we should go in and check." She suggested, opening the door.

Elliot wasn't about to let her go alone and he got up and followed her, locking the car behind him. The two of them hurried into the lobby to find that the flight 987 from Las Vegas was landing. It was only a matter of minutes now.

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"Darling please stop bouncing." Catherine said sternly to her daughter, trying to get her daughter to calm down.

Lindsay pouted. "But Greg is doing it."

Catherine turned to focus a death glare at Greg, who immediately stopped bouncing on the chairs and hit his head on the window, making Catherine roll her eyes and Lindsay giggle.

Greg was the youngest of them. The kid, the rookie, the annoying one. He could make anyone laugh, but he could also annoy the heck out of everyone. He had begged Grissom for the chance to go out on the field and finally Grissom gave in mainly to shut up his whiny voice. Catherine loved Greg personally. He was like a little kid that she had to watch, but sometimes he did get on her nerves and his whining voice was enough to drive the most patient person up the wall.

"Let's do this." Warrick said, handing Catherine her luggage.

Catherine rolled her suitcase and shouldered her daughter's duffel bag, sending a quick look in Grissom's directions.

He cleared his throat. "Let's be polite." He said firmly. "We're on the same team and after the same guy."

"What if they're not polite?" Sara pointed out.

Grissom sighed. "Then be as polite as you can. They want this guy as much as we do and I've heard that the detectives are the best of the best, they just need our help with the forensics."

The team filed out slowly, wondering what the detectives were going to be like.

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Olivia spotted the team first. "I think that's them." She said pointing them out to Elliot.

He looked at the team. "They look rather normal don't you think?" he commented.

Olivia slapped him on the arm. "What did you think they were gonna look like?"

Elliot shrugged. "I don't know, maybe like flashy drag queen costumes."

She rolled her eyes. "Let's go." She said firmly, dragging him behind her.

She greeted Grissom first. "Hi." She said. "I'm Detective Benson and this is my partner, Elliot Stabler. Melinda sent us to pick you guys up. She can't get away from an autopsy."

Grissom firmly shook her hand and then Elliot's. "Gil Grissom." He said. "This is my team. The redhead is Catherine Willows, that's Nick Stokes, the guy with the afro is Warrick Brown, the other woman is Sara Sidle, and the idiot with the hat is Greg Sanders."

Olivia smiled and tried to process the torrent of information. The team took turns getting and shaking hands with the detectives. Olivia noticed that Elliot was glancing in the redhead's direction a lot. Olivia could understand why. The woman was beautiful. You didn't meet many people with strawberry blonde hair and sapphire eyes. Olivia felt an unexpected current of jealousy. She never thought of herself as beautiful, but she thought Elliot would like girls with brains not some Barbie doll from Vegas. Olivia made a point to ignore the woman for the rest of the small conversation, but she couldn't help noticing how much attention the woman put on the little girl that was clinging onto her hand.

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The ride went by in silence. The CSI team were too exhausted from the time difference to find topics for small talk, and the detectives were unsure what to say. Elliot glanced back and smiled slightly at the sight of Catherine sleeping with her daughter snuggled close to her, also asleep. Grissom caught his glance and felt a wave of jealously wash through him. Olivia was thinking the same thing. She glared at the woman, but she couldn't dislike her. Catherine had been nothing but friendly to her and attentive to no one other than that little girl. Olivia couldn't hate someone like that.

Back in the squadroom, the CSI team left their bags in the car. They went in to be briefed and to meet the rest of the detectives and the DAs. Everyone looked up as they entered.

Melinda ran up to Grissom and they hugged tightly. "Hey you." He said laughing.

"Oh my gosh it's been too long." Melinda exclaimed. "And you are looking good." She said, taking in his put together appearance.

"So are you." Grissom replied, his eyes twinkling. Then he rememberd his team.

"My team." He introduced all the members again.

Olivia moved sit between Casey and Alex and whispering a few words to them about Elliot's attention on Catherine. They both glanced in the direction of the girl.

"She's pretty." Alex mused to herself. The question was if she had brains. If looks meant she didn't, then she would be slow. Her attention was quickly diverted though but a soft southern voice. She turned to spot a brown haired man looked directly at her with a hand offered. She pulled herself together.

"Alex Cabot." She said, taking the hand and meeting his eyes with a blue gaze.

"Nick." He answered with a low southern accent. "Nice to meet you ma'am."

Alex had never met a country boy before and she was smitten by his manners and obvious respect for women. She blushed furiously. She hadn't dated in years, hadn't even thought about it, but she felt butterflies in her stomach as she gazed at Nick.

Olivia and Casey obviously noticed this exchange. They smiled to themselves glad Alex was coming out of her shell. They turned their attention away from the lovebird's conversation and to the rest of the group.

Cragen explained the case and to his surprise, it wasn't Grissom who spoke up, but Catherine.

"Sir, we'll get this guy." She said determinedly.

Grissom nodded in agreement. "My team and I will work until we get this guy."

Melinda smiled at her old friend. "We know Gil, that's why I called you. You're not the type to turn down a challenge." She said.

Grissom smiled. "You know me too well Melinda."

"Or not at all." She retorted.

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The CSI group was staying in the same hotel. They were sharing rooms with their partner, except for Catherine, who was staying with Lindsay. They promised to be at the precinct early the next morning to start working on the case.

Olivia and Alex were in her office talking when Casey walked in. "I think we need to have a girl's night out." She stated.

Elliot walked in at that moment. "Fin's invited the new people for a drink. You girls feel like coming?" he asked.

Olivia didn't really want to go and watch Elliot stare at Catherine all night, but she didn't want to leave them alone together either. "Sure. I'll come." She said, getting up.

Alex and Casey exchanged glances. They both knew perfectly why Olivia was going, but found necessary to follow and give moral support.

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The CSI team was in the bar together. It was different from home so they all dressed up a little. Elliot turned his head when he saw Catherine enter in a fitted red dress with a confident stride. He liked her. She was smart, funny, and a confident. He sneaked a glance in Olivia's direction. He loved Olivia so much, but she never looked his way and he was giving up on hoping that she would.

Grissom was in a suit and Melinda was talking excitedly to him. They had a lot of years to catch up on and neither of them were waiting to talk. Catherine kept her distance. She was jealous of Melinda since she obviously knew Grissom well, but so did she. She just didn't want to intrude.

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Sara was bored out of her mind. She wore a simple black dress that she had borrowed from Catherine. She wished she had just stayed in the hotel and babysat Lindsay, but Lindsay wouldn't hear of it. The little girl was too much like her mother in that sense. She insisted on going to the movies with Greg. Sara sighed. Secretly she missed Greg and his wild sense of humor. Some guy walked up to her. She searched her mind for the name. Munch right.

"Hi." He said. "You looked bored."

Sara eyed him and then flashed him a wry grin. "Wow you're a genius." She retorted, taking a sip of her martini.

"People tell me that I am." Munch replied, attempting to flirt.

She gave him a strange look. "Mentally challenged people?" she asked.

"You know you are a very unfriendly person." Munch pointed out to Sara.

She glared at him. "And you're a very nosy one." She retorted.

"Hey I thought we were here to get to know each other."

"Yeah, but you're just here to annoy me."

"No I'm not. I'm trying to have a civilized conversation and you're making it difficult."

Sara made an exasperated noise in her throat and finally laughed when Munch handed her a glass of water. Munch smiled. She was different than his wives. She was smart and just as cynical as he was. He liked that.

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Alex and Nick were chatting it up in the corner. She was feeling flirty and he was sweet talking her. Nick hadn't met many girls like her. Smart and fierce at the same time.

"So what's it like being a DA?" he asked, visibly curious.

Alex was flattered by such attention. "Well, it's busy."

Nick laughed. "So is everything else." He answered her.

His hand brushed hers as he put his hand on the bar. They both flushed a little. Alex gazed at his warm brown eyes and felt a little skip in her chest. She was breathing quickly and she knew it. _O Lord what am I doing?_ She wondered.

Nick was so nervous. He had never lost control of himself like this. One look from Alex was all he needed to get his heart going. He usually didn't fall for anyone this quickly and preferred to take things slow, but Alex got to him…fast. He didn't have a chance to say no.

He took her hand and kissed it. "May I have this dance?" he asked.

Alex giggled. "Sure." She said as he led her onto the dancefloor.

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Casey and Warrick were on their fifth beer. Casey was trying to keep things in control, however. The two had something going on right away. They were laughing and it shocked the rest of the SVU to see their usually serious ADA, shooting straw wrappers across the room with a CSI. They were having a good time.

Warrick glanced at the redhead. She was hilarious. She looked serious but had that little playful aura around her. _Sweet. _He thought. Casey was laughing and a little drunk. The former DJ was making her heart bubble and she was loving every moment of it.

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Cragen observed. He didn't drink. Didn't really talk. He could tell some of his people were already falling for the CSI. Alex and Nick and Casey and Warrick. He was just waiting on Grissom and Melinda to make a move.

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Olivia was watching Elliot and she felt her heart constrict when he walked up to Catherine. She didn't seem interested, but he was persistent. Olivia felt tears stung her eyes as Elliot forgot completely about her and started to laugh and joke with the redhead. She walked away and went into the bathroom to make sure she hadn't messed up her makeup.

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"So you're a single mom?" Elliot asked Catherine between sips of his beer.

"Duh." Catherine replied lightly.

"That must be hard." He said.

Catherine laughed. "Don't try and flirt with me by talking about my daughter, Detective Stabler." She said seeing right through his tactic.

Elliot smiled. He knew Olivia had gone to the bathroom. It pained him to move on, but he knew it had to. "Well then how can I flirt with you?" he asked moving a little closer to the CSI.

She laughed, low and sultry. "You can just come straight out. I'm not one for pick up lines." She said.

"Fine then will you dance with me?"

Catherine sneaked a glance in Grissom's direction. He hadn't even turned her way. Her heart plummeted, but her face never showed her heartbreak. "Why not?" she answered Elliot, letting him lead her onto the dance floor.

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Olivia returned from the bathroom and the first thing she saw was Elliot and Catherine in each other's arms on the dance floor. The tears she had tried to hard to control, leaked out of her eyes and she rushed to the restroom again before the everyone saw her break for the first time in years.

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GASP HOW COULD ELLIOT? Lol don't hate Catherine. She's hurting too. Lol R&R for more! Sorry it was so long!


	4. Just About Now

Chapter Four- Just About Now

Thanks to obsessedwithstabler, spacecaseofbol9694, big-smiles-all-around, ginormoussvufan, CocaCola1052, soliz, KWillows, and Maggie Dolye for all their love in their reviews!

Disclaimer: Don't own any characters.

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Olivia stood alone on the roof. She was freezing from the cold air at the high elevation, but she didn't move. Her mind kept moving back to the sight of Elliot dancing with Catherine on the dance floor. She was gorgeous. Olivia didn't know her history, but most women in law enforcement didn't look like that. She closed her brown eyes to hold back tears, but they leaked out of the corners of her eyes anyway. She couldn't believe Elliot would fall for someone else. Olivia had hoped that he wouldn't. _I'm so stupid. _she thought. Of course he would move on and fall for someone. His divorce to Kathy was already over. He wouldn't be upset forever.

Olivia spun when someone else walked onto the roof. It was the leader of the CSI team. Grissom. He walked over to her and sat down.

"What brings you here?" she asked softly.

His blue eyes were full of pain when he turned to her. "Have you ever loved someone so much, but they have no idea?" he asked quietly.

Olivia looked at him with understanding eyes. "Yes." She whispered softly, almost afraid to speak. She was feeling too much like that.

Grissom closed his eyes. "I love her so much, but she doesn't have eyes for me. She's my best friend. Everything I've ever needed, but she has no idea how much she means to me." He said staring at the black sky. It was so similar to Vegas but so different. New York was full of skyscrapers and business buildings. Vegas was full of lights and entertainment. He missed it and he missed the time when he still thought he had a chance with the girl he loved.

"I know what you're feeling. I'm going through the same thing." Olivia murmured. It was too similar to her own situation, but she assumed Grissom was in love with Melinda. Melinda was married. Grissom didn't stand a chance.

The two of them fell into silence. Olivia was hurting so bad. She couldn't believe she would be thrown to the side just like that. She felt worthless, like she didn't matter to Elliot anymore. She wanted to feel needed, wanted, anything of the sort. She started to cry. Grissom reached over and pulled her into a hug, trying to give her the comfort he knew he would never have.

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Catherine and Elliot finished their dance. It was a quick one. Catherine wasn't that interested in Elliot, but he was a nice guy and her mother had always taught her that it was impolite to turn down a dance when a gentleman asked politely. The two had talked about their jobs and then their children. Hearing Elliot talk about his kids made Catherine realize that he was a good person and that they would be a lasting pair of friends.

She sat down beside Sara would looked ready to smack Munch to Kansas. Catherine knew better though. When Sara started to act like that, that usually meant she was interested in the person, but just didn't want to show it. Catherine moved away again, letting her friend have some privacy. She looked around for Grissom. He was nowhere to be found. She sighed softly. She wanted to talk to him. She hadn't gotten a chance to really sit down and have a conversation with him since they got to New York. She missed their talks after work in his office. He was the first to talk her into trying chocolate covered grasshoppers and she didn't know what else. She started wandering around the bar, trying to find him.

Elliot observed Catherine from across the room. He wondered who she was looking for, but then noticed that Olivia wasn't in the room. He got worried. He hated not watching his partners back, especially since in their line of work and it being New York, anything could happen at any given second. He ran over to Cragen.

"Where's LIv?" he asked, his voice laced with a little panic.

Cragen patted his back firmly, his mood a little iffy from not being able to drink. "She's in the restroom." He said gruffly.

Elliot knew Cragen was an recovering alcoholic and didn't press the issue. She would be out soon and then they would have a drink and all would be fine in the world. He observed Catherine leave the room, heading up to the roof. He didn't follow. His feelings for her were nowhere near his feelings for Olivia. She was a nice person and obviously dedicated to her job and her child. He was glad to work with her. He took a sip of his beer. He wished he could tell Olivia what he felt for her. The drink was making him feel like a braver man, but even with its help, Elliot couldn't pluck up the courage.

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Alex and Nick were on their fifth dance. Neither wanted to stop. Alex had never met such a well-mannered and respectful man and Nick had never met such a stubborn and ambitious girl. They were smitten to say the least.

"So when you off work?" he slurred at her, his Texas accent stronger when he was nervous.

Alex smiled at his obvious nervous state. "After five cowboy. What have you got in mind?" she asked.

Nick smiled. "Well I was thinking maybe I can take you out to dinner and a movie." He suggested.

"Do you even know where anything is in New York?" she asked, teasing him slightly.

He laughed. "No ma'am, but that's what the GPS system is for ain't it?" he asked, only half joking.

Alex leaned close to him, feeling a little on the flirty side. "Fine then you can pick me up." She said.

Nick smiled and took her hand. "Of course, I'll be there at 7 tomorrow." He said softly, kissing the top of her hand.

Alex blushed, a brilliant scarlet that contrasted her light blonde hair. She lowered her blue eyes and focused on the label of her beer. Nick didn't let her turn away that easily. He put his hand under her chin and gently tilted her head upward, till their eyes met.

Alex was hurting so bad. She had spent so many lonely nights on her own. And before she had come back to New York she had spent everyday alone, missing her old life, her old job, and all the friends that she had left behind. The experience nearly destroyed her and would have if the detectives hadn't locked up her shooter. She was different now. Fiercer, stronger, and some people would say more bitchy. She didn't care what they said. Her old friends were still there for her and she was finally gaining her life back. She was just missing the fiancé she left behind and would never return to.

Nick could read her. Under her strong and independent demeanor there was a lonely woman. He had heard about the DA that was shot and put under the WPP, but he never thought he would meet her. She was hurting and he knew it. He could see it in her eyes, despite the smile on her face. He started to sing softly to her

_In the twilitght glow I see her_

_Blue eyes crying in the rain_

_When we kissed goodbye ad parted_

_I knew we'd never meet again_

_Someday when we meet up yonder_

_We'll stroll hand and hand again_

_In the land that knows no parting_

_For blue eyes crying in the rain._

His voice was low and deep. It rang through Alex like wind chimes and she couldn't get his voice of her head. She felt something stir in her heart, something she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt tears fill her eyes, but didn't fight Nick's hold. He leaned in and he kissed her, gently and sweetly, letting her know that she was not alone.

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Casey was drunk. Plain and simple. Warrick was getting there. The redhead was a completely different person when she was intoxicated. She was a flirt with confidence and a sexy air. She leaned close to Warrick just to tease him, letting him get a slight peek into her shirt. She moved away with a wink. Warrick was officially aching and drunk. He wanted to kiss her and go upstairs and do something nasty, but held himself back with the little control he had. He did not need to get in trouble with the ADA of the Manhattan SVU team he was working with.

Casey bit her lip in that sexy way, letting the shadows in the bar, catch one side of her, giving her a mysterious aura. She could barely stand, but it didn't hinder her flirting. She ran her fingers down Warrick's chest, slowly and gently, flicking her red hair in his face. She was getting him tonight and everyone who was watching this exchange knew it.

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Melinda was watching everyone. The CSI and the SVU were getting along perfectly. Almost perfectly. She frowned when she saw Catherine running around looking for Grissom. She still felt protective over her high school friend and didn't think that Catherine was right for him. They were opposites. _Opposites don't last. _Melinda thought to herself. She knew Catherine's story, knew it and didn't like it. She was lucky that she had fixed her life, but what if she lost control of herself again and ended up ruining Grissom's life. Melinda wouldn't let that happen. She loved Grissom like a brother and she barely knew Catherine, so she had no problem with ruining a potentially disastrous crush. She didn't like her anywhere near Elliot either. Elliot and Olivia were meant for each other and everyone on the SVU team knew it. Grissom's team just had to figure it out.

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Catherine figured Grissom was on the roof. He was more of a roller coaster kind of guy though. He would ride them to relieve himself from the stress he felt from his job, but there were no roller coasters around. She took the stairs up two at a time, a difficult feat in a dress and stiletto heels. She opened the door slowly and softly, not wanting to startle him.

She stared at the sight before her. Grissom had someone else wrapped in his arms and he was murmuring in her ear. They were too close for comfort, close enough to suggest a relationship. Grissom wasn't the type to let someone get that close to him unless it was serious. Unless she was Catherine, whom he had known for so many years.

Catherine felt hot tears in her eyes. They blocked her view. She shut the door silently and rushed downstairs and out of the bar. Her heart plummeting with every step she took. Every moment and memory between her and Grissom, flowed through her head and she broke down in tears. Tears that wouldn't stop coming.

_Just about now_

_Is when I hate love_

_Nothing can heal this pain_

_You used to need me_

_Hold me and need me before_

_And it's just about now that the tears start to fall_

_I wonder if I'm gonna make it at all_

_This is not about trying to go back in time_

_This is not about where I'll be a year down the line_

_It's just moment to moment_

_Surviving somehow_

_This is not about then_

_This is just about now_

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Whoever's in tears or feels remotely sad say AYE! In the reviews that is…hint hint…lol will update soon. Hope you enjoyed it!


	5. Let Me Tell You A Story

Chapter Five- Let Me Tell You A Story

Thanks to KaydenceRei, LegaspiWeaver, Maggie Dolye, CharmedOneToo22, big-smiles-all-around, obsessedwithstabler, CocoCola1052, ginormoussvufan, KWillows, Isabel Jung, Callisto Insanity's Angel, soliz, and DrusillaBraun for their reviews!

Disclaimer: I own no one and nothing. Not even myself. Okay just kidding about that

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Slowly the group of law enforcement workers trickled out of the room. Everyone else breathed easier. The room had been silent since they came in because no one wanted to be arrested.

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Nick insisted on driving Alex home despite Olivia's protest. Finally Olivia had given in because she could see the way gazed at the CSI.

"Fine." She gave in.

Alex smiled and gave Olivia a hug. "I'll be fine." She said firmly, following Nick out.

He drove slowly and carefully, finally stopping a quaint looking house. He opened the door for her like perfect gentleman. They held hands and kissed as they made their way to the door.

Nick kissed Alex's neck as she fumbled with the keys to her house and let him in. She suddenly pulled away once they reached her living room. She didn't want to go any farther. She was scared that if she did fall for Nick, he wouldn't stay once he knew her past. He gazed at her.

"What's wrong?" he asked concerned laced in his voice.

"Nick let me tell you a story." she said softly not meeting his eyes and staring at her reflection in the window. He had to know and she had to tell him before she went any farther. She would save herself the hurt this time.

Nick eased himself onto the couch. "Sure." He said gently, watching her back as well as her reflection.

"There was an ADA once. She worked with Olivia and Elliot. She grew up in New York in a rich family, but she didn't go the way her family wanted her to. Her father was upset after she told him she was going to pursue the thankless job of a prosecutor. Her mother didn't mind and the girl flourished in the courtroom. She learned about herself and about the world and about the people she learned to love and trust."

Nick gazed at her and listened intently. He didn't make any noise, barely breathing. He could tell this story was important and held himself back from wrapping his arms around her.

Alex took a breath. "She learned the ins and outs of the job. Put some very bad people away for life. Then one day she came across a rapist, only to find he was a powerful drug lord. She didn't back down though. She put him away for life and got the death penalty. He had connections though. He put a price on her head."

At this point, Alex took another trembling breath, her voice breaking a little. She stopped for a minute. Nick didn't move. He stared at the back of her head and let her go on, afraid that she would stop, be scared that she would go on.

"She was shot one night in front of her best friend and she was pronounced dead. Only she wasn't. She survived, but the aftermath was so much more painful than the bullet."

Alex felt her eyes become wet with tears. She forced herself to continue. He needed to know everything about her before she would let him into her heart.

"She was shuffled into the WPP. She lost her job, her family, her friends, and her home. Her mother died while she was away and she couldn't go the funeral. She even lost herself. She wasn't the strong confident ADA anymore. She was a lonely girl who didn't know herself and couldn't let anyone know her either."

Nick got up and wrapped his arm around her waist. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"She dealt with it. She never saw her would be killer's face, just his gun pointed at her heart, but she survived the shot and she survived the aftermath. She lost her life. She couldn't practice law. She couldn't call her friends whom she had depended on all their life. In time, she learned and adapted and then, she fell in love. A man in her new life, but he didn't know her. She knew him, but he didn't know her. He knew her by a different name, different background. She never heard him call her by her real name or hear her stories about her job. He didn't know her past and she couldn't tell him. He thought she was a different person. Her life was one big lie and she had to weave bigger lies to cover up the minor ones. The salvation came one night when she got a call. Her shooter had been arrested. A paid assassin with four homicides under his belt not counting her own. She decided on testifying against him."

Nick was rubbing her back, hurting at the sight of the tears falling out of her blue eyes.

"She testified against him. Pushed his buttons until he lost his temper in court. She used her skills as a prosecutor to trap him in his own words, giving her friend the prosecuting ADA everything she needed. He was found guilty on all charges, but it wasn't over for her. She and another witness were shuffled back into the WPP, where they stayed for another two years. Finally, when they found and locked up every single member of the drug lord's group. The woman got her life back. She was back in New York, back in law, back to everything she left behind. She was herself again with more experience and more lessons that she would have learned in a lifetime."

Alex broke down in tears. Nick rubbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. "What was her name?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"Alexandra Cabot." she whispered.

Nick could feel his own eyes misty. "Oh Alex that must have been hell." He said softly, pulling her into his arms. He couldn't imagine having to spend everyday of his life as someone else and have the one person you trusted and counted on, not even know his real name. He found the thought too painful to bear.

A door slammed and little feet came running down the stairs. A little boy around the age of nine peeked through the corner. Nick stared. The boy managed a shy wave before launching himself into Alex's arms.

"Oh and I have a son."

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Olivia was exhausted. Mentally and emotionally. She eased herself on to the couch of her apartment. She hadn't let Elliot take her home. She figured that he would want to be with Catherine; only thing was that Olivia hadn't seen hide or tail of the red head. Olivia sighed. Maybe it was time to move on. Grissom had been kind to her and had let her cry on his shoulder. They were in the same hole, maybe it was time to climb out of it.

She popped the cap of a beer. She closed her eyes but the only thing she could see were Elliot's blue eyes and she began to imagine the feel of Elliot's strong arms around her. She felt wetness in her eyes. She couldn't bear to see him tomorrow. How would she be able to work and concentrate on the case when she was reminded of her heartache the moment she laid eyes on him? She forced the thought from her mind. What happened tomorrow was not something she would have to worry today.

She took her beer to her room and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Olivia shifted her body to stare at the picture that was always on her bedside table, the one of her and Elliot in each other's arms at the park after winning a particularly difficult case. She never told Elliot that she fell asleep gazing at his face or that she has a picture of him hidden in the folds of her wallet. She never told him. She was afraid of losing the one thing she had left to hang onto.

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Catherine made her way into the morgue. She knew it was her day off and she didn't have to work, not to mention the time difference made night much earlier than she had anticipated. She saw another car pull up. Apparently someone else wanted to work late. A figure stepped out of the car. It was Melinda.

"Hey." Catherine greeted, tugging at the locked doors.

"Yeah you need a key?" Melinda was rather coldly. She wasn't fond of Catherine, mainly because of her story. She was in the profession for the money, not for much else. The girl was a former strip dancer. She probably was not the purest of hearts, especially for Grissom.

"Yeah I think I do." Catherine answered a little confused. Melinda was giving her negative vibes and Catherine couldn't figure out why. "I came to get a head start on the case."

Melinda let her in without another word. They both made their way to the autopsy room and glanced at the body lying between them. Catherine felt cold all over. This case was too familiar. She touched the still wet paint on the victim's hand, fighting back tears.

"I can't believe I'm here again." She murmured without meaning to open her mouth.

Melinda raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean?" she asked, a little curious.

"I was the one who took the case the first time he claimed a victim. I caught the copycat though. Not the real deal. I saw the copycat's execution. I was there." She said tightly. She silently added, _and I cried._

Melinda was starting to see Catherine from a new perspective. "So you were the lead in the case of Charlene Daniels?' she asked a little surprised. She had always admired the CSI that led the case, but never thought it would be Catherine.

Catherine nodded. "I led the case and testified at his trial." She said lowering her eyes to gaze at the victim. "All I could think about when I met the girl's parents were 'what if that was my daughter?" She said softly.

Melinda understood exactly what she meant. "I know what you mean. I have a little girl too and every time I deal with a case with children, it's all I can think about."

Catherine was already examining the paint on the hand. "Isn't this the reason why we do what we do?" she asked.

Melinda nodded and watched as Catherine rubbed off some of the blue paint.

"Grissom and I have already determined that the paint has been mixed in a car oil base. It keeps it from drying. We've also figured out how the perp lures his victims. All we need now is to catch the guy and have some sort of lead." Catherine said, biting her lip.

"You guys can see the crime scene tomorrow. I think it would best to do it with everyone in the same place." Melinda answered.

Catherine nodded. "How do you deal with a demanding job and a child at the same time?' she asked suddenly.

Melinda drew a sharp breath. "I don't." she answered. "I just do the best I can to be there. My husband and I are on a rocky road right now."

"I know what you mean. Sometimes I wonder what husbands are for when they cause more problems than they solve."

"That's only if you marry the wrong person." Melinda comforted. "Why are a CSI anyway?" she asked suddenly. "I mean of all the things you could have been." Melinda needed to know. She knew Grissom was head over heels for this woman and Melinda wanted to know why.

"It gives me a high that no drug had ever given me." Catherine answered matter-of-factly.

Melinda raised her eyebrows and gave her a please-explain-because-I- think-I'm-taking-you-the-wrong-way look. Catherine let out a soft chuckle.

"I went go Vegas at eighteen. I needed money, badly, so I found a job stripping. I earned like two hundred dollars a night on tips alone. I used the money toward college and then medical school. Got married halfway through and had my daughter. My husband had a coke habit which I didn't know about, but back then, even if I didn't I don't think I would've cared. I got addicted too. Then one night I saw Lindsay nearly take some of Eddie's coke. I came clean and divorced him. Grissom got me a job and then I moved up in the ranks." She explained easily.

Melinda gaped at the woman. Her story was incredible. "Whoa." She said softly. "that's must've been tough."

Catherine shrugged. "You live you learn." She said.

"And I thought studying my ass off and being a nerd in school was bad." Melinda pointed out.

"Believe me, I wish I had been that smart." Catherine retorted.

"Let's get home." Melinda suddenly said, stifling a yawn.

Catherine let hers out. "Yeah. Lindsay's gonna want me home soon. I wonder how Greg is holding up."

"You can drop her off at my house tomorrow if you want. She and my daughter can play together." Melinda offered.

Catherine smiled. "That'll be great." She said. "I'll let Olivia know tomorrow." She grew stiff at the mention of the pretty detective's name. The image of her and Grissom in each other's arms still fresh on her mind.

The two hurried out of the morgue, both eager to get home.

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"Lindsay, would you please go to bed?" Greg begged the nine year old. "Pretty please?"

Lindsay was jumping on the bed. "Why?" she asked. "I'm not tired.

Greg groaned. It was past midnight. Catherine was going to kill him if she found Lindsay awake so late.

_Greg you are very stupid. _ He said to himself. _Why the hell did you give a nine year old candy before bed?_

Lindsay was still hopping and jumping and screaming the lyrics to an Eminem song. Catherine was going to kill him for that too. Greg should not have ever given Lindsay the unrated CD to keep her quiet. There was a quiet knock on the door and Greg froze.

"O shit." He muttered afraid that it would be on the other side.

Lindsay screamed the words in return, forcing Greg to clap a hand over her mouth. He slowly answered the door. It was a very drunk Casey and a stumbling Warrick.

Greg caught Casey when she fell over. "Uh Warrick?" he asked a little confused.

Warrick smiled a little loopily. "Uh well I got tired so I thought maybe Catherine could take Casey home." He said a little woozy and stepping all over himself.

Greg helped Casey to the couch just as Lindsay came over to hug Warrick, knocking him over. Warrick groaned and collapsed on the floor.

"I am so glad they called a cab." Greg said slowly as Lindsay stared wide-eyed at Warrick.

He gave Warrick a hard poke on the side. He didn't move. Greg wasn't strong enough to carry him onto the couch. He turned to Casey, who was really out of it.

"Catherine?" she asked. "Nice to meet you."

Greg shook his head. "Uh…I'm Greg." He said nervously. She was damn good looking.

"Nice to meet you Egg." Casey slurred.

Greg gave up. "Uh will you be okay?" he asked.

Lindsay walked over and gave Casey a gentle slap on the head. Casey yelped and flopped onto her back on the couch. "Whoa she's really really drunk." The little girl pointed out.

Greg was at his wits end. "Lindsay bed now." He said firmly.

Lindsay pouted but ran quickly down the hall and into one of the two rooms of the condo, not wanting to be in trouble when her mother came home.

"Sit with me." Casey said sounding somber for the first time in the night.

Greg was a little scared of the ADA so he obeyed, sitting down beside her. She laid her head on his lap. "You must be Greg the guy that Olivia said was watching Catherine's kid."

Greg gulped and nodded. "Yeah that's me."

"I like a guy who likes children." She said softly, not a hint of being drunk.

"Yeah well, I'm not that great with them and I think you're drunk." He said.

Casey smiled. "Drunk enough to fool Warrick into taking me home, but not drunk enough to not know what's going on." She said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Wait, you tricked Warrick?" Greg asked in shock.

She laughed. "I wish I did, he's a sweet guy and I really like him, but it's too early to go home with anyone." She said firmly. "I have my morals."

Greg gaped. "I still think you're drunk."

Casey smiled. "Oh I am. I'm not denying that, but that I still know slightly what's going on."

They both paused, and then Casey burst out laughing. "I'm just kidding. I don't think I'm gonna remember anything tomorrow morning."

Then she leaned her head to one side of the couch and fell asleep. Greg stared at her. She was pretty. Her red hair was redder than Catherine's and fell in long locks over her face. Her green eyes were closed. He stared and couldn't stop staring.

"I hope Catherine doesn't mind." Greg said softly to himself, but he was exhausted from babysitting Lindsay all night and soon fell asleep beside Casey, unknowing cuddling up to her a little. She didn't stir.

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Catherine quickly slipped into the condo and nearly stepped on Warrick. _What the hell? _She though. The next thing she saw was Greg and the girl she recalled as Casey curled up on the couch. She made stared at them. _Wasn't Casey just flirting with Warrick?_ She thought, but then rolled her eyes. It was none of her business. She eyed Warrick again, but decided to leave him on the floor. He was the one who had decided to fall asleep in the middle of her doorway. She walked briskly down the hall.

Her daughter was sitting up in bed as if she had been waiting.

"Mommy!" she cried.

Catherine put a finger to her lips as she sat down beside the nine year old. "Greg and Casey are sleeping." She paused. "Warrick too."

Lindsay suppressed a giggle, but then looked at her mother with big eyes. "Mommy can you stay with me tonight?" she asked softly.

Catherine's eyes softened at the sight of her little girl. "Yeah sure honey." She settled down beside Lindsay and pretty soon had her daughter asleep in her arms. Moments later, Catherine fell asleep as well.

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Elliot was tired. He was alone. He had watched Olivia slip out before he even got his coat. Catherine had left long before. He didn't know why though, but he could tell she had been upset. He wondered if it was because of him, but found that he didn't care as much as he should. His thoughts were on Olivia. Where did she go and then why did she left so quickly?

He laid down in the darkness on his queen sized bed. A bed for two but only housing one. It was more than depressing. He wished Olivia was with him, but things seemed to have gone cold between them lately. He had remembered the time when he had almost lost her. He hadn't confessed his love for her back then and he still couldn't do it now.

"Will you be there tomorrow, Olivia, and then everyday after that?" he asked the picture of him and her on his bedside table.

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Sorry this took so long to get up, but look at how long it is! I really hope you guys like it. I try to include as many characters as I can in each chapter but it's really hard so I'm trying my best. More EO soon, they might confess soon. GASP….or maybe I'll make you wait for it. MUAHAHHAAHA I'm okay.


	6. Taken

Chapter 6

Thanks to CocaCola1952, ginormoussvufan, KaydenceRei, LegaspiWeaver, ACertainJustice, soliz, Maggie Dolye, KWillows, and DrusillaBraun for their sweetness in their reviews!

Disclaimer: I could've made them if I wanted to but other people beat me to it.

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Olivia arose with the dawn due to the insistent ringing of her phone.

"Benson." She said sleepily.

"Olivia morning!" Elliot greeted.

She rubbed her eyes, but her heart skipped a beat.

"Hey Elliot." She said. "What's up?"

"Cragen wants to know if you can pick Willows up. I'm getting Sidle, Stokes, and Saunders. Fin and Munch are getting Grissom and Brown." Elliot said, using all of the CSI members last names.

"Oh, I thought Willows went home with you." She said puzzled and surprised.

Elliot was shocked. "Why would she?" he asked confused.

"Just a thought." Olivia answer immediately embarrassed. "I'll get here."

"Alright. Meet you at the morgue. Warner wants to talk to us." He said, hanging up.

Olivia hung up the phone with her heart considerably lighter. Elliot was still alone and available and he wasn't in love with Catherine. She punched the air in joy, but pulled herself together to get dressed and find directions for Catherine's condo.

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"Lindsay would you please get dressed?" Catherine asked her daughter as she scrambled to find all the files about the case, carefully avoiding Greg on the couch and Warrick on the floor. Casey had awoke in the middle of the night and screamed loud enough to break every window in the place before Catherine calmed her down enough to explain how she got there.

"Fine Mommy, but I wanna go with you." Lindsay said pouting and whining.

"Honey I can't take you with me today." Catherine sighed exasperated.

Lindsay stomped her foot. "But you never take me to work with you anymore!" she screamed.

Catherine sat down and pulled her daughter onto her lap. "Lindsay, listen to me. This case is a very big case. The bad guy is one of the worst that I have ever seen and also, we're guests at someone else's workplace. I can't take you with me now, but I promise when we get home I'll take you and you can work a case with me."

Lindsay brightened. "YAY!" she hoorayed.

Catherine smiled and walked toward the door. Someone was ringing. It was probably her ride.

"Hey." Olivia said when Catherine opened the door.

"Hey." Catherine responded as Lindsay came to investigate who was at the door. "This is my daughter Lindsay."

Olivia smiled at the little girl who was smiling shyly up at her and hiding halfway behind her mother.

"She's adorable."

"Thanks. Come in."

Olivia slipped through the door and saw a nice condo before her. "Wow, nice place." She admired, raising her eyebrows at the sight of Warrick on the floor and Greg on the couch.

Catherine smiled. "I gotta say when Grissom forces us out of our homes and brings us to strange places, he makes up for it." She said, beckoning Lindsay down the hall to get dressed.

Olivia watched the little girl obey. "She's very sweet." She said.

"Yeah she is. Oh can we stop at Melinda's so I can drop her off?" Catherine asked, hoping Olivia wouldn't mind.

"Sure. It'll be no problem." Olivia replied. "It must be hard raising a kid and having the job that you have right now.'

Catherine shrugged. "It's hard but it's worth it. My job and my kid are the two high points of my life. Lindsay was what kept me going when my marriage turned sour." She said.

Olivia surveyed the woman before her. It was hard to imagine a marriage turning sour for someone like her. She seemed put together and not to mention pretty, so why would any man be stupid enough to mess things up. Olivia found that her jealousy the night before was uncalled for and felt a little embarrassed at her coldness toward Catherine when they first met.

"I wanna say that I'm sorry for the way I acted when we first met." Olivia said slowly.

"Hey don't worry about it." Catherine said, secretly relieved. "I understand how it must feel to have someone else thousands miles away coming onto your turf and causing an upheaval."

Catherine was so relieved. Melinda had told her the night before that Olivia was one of the best and great with children. Catherine was jealous still though. She had seen what Olivia and Grissom were doing on the roof and she wished she had been the one in his arms. She pushed aside her feelings. She needed to get along with Olivia and do her job. She drew a soft breath.

Olivia glanced up as Lindsay came clambering down the stairs in shorts and a t-shirt. Catherine smiled.

"Let's get going." She said. "We got a super high profile case to cover."

"What about them?" Olivia asked, pointing at the still sleeping Warrick and Greg.

"They'll figure out something." Catherine said with a impish smile.

Olivia agreed and headed out. Lindsay bouncing up and down behind her.

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Alex woke up in someone's arms for the first time in a long time. Nick was still asleep and she stared at him. He looked so sweet asleep. She reached over and stroke his cheek, as the memories of the night before filled her mind.

Flashback

"I have a son."

"What?"

"Remember that other witness?"

"Oh yeah. What's his name?"

"Antonio."

"That's a nice name. Hi Antonio. I'm Nick."

End Flashback

Just like that Alex had been smitten. Nick had won his way into her heart and then into Antonio's. She had confessed her past to him and he hadn't run. He had stayed beside her and told her it was okay. He understood why Alex had to adopt Antonio and why she had always kept the pain of that memory a secret. He hadn't even turned away when she started to cry. He kept his arm around her and let her cry.

The moment of truth came when Antonio had run downstairs. Nick had taken the child and taught him how to play video games and together they had beaten the game. Alex had watched the exchange between the two with joy in her eyes. It seemed so right. Almost like a family when they were together.

She snuggled close to him and shut her eyes again. She knew she had to get up, but she didn't want to. Nick stirred and opened his eyes to see into Alex's blue eyes.

"Wow that's a dream come true." He said softly and a little sleepily

Alex blushed which made a smile come to Nick's face.

"Or maybe I'm still dreaming." He said, burying his face into her blonde hair.

Alex laughed then kissed him. "Now do you know that you aren't?" she asked.

Nick smiled with a twinkle of affection in his brown eyes. "I think I am only I'm awake."

At that moment a very sleepy Antonio waddled into the room. "Mama, your phone's ringing."

Alex leaped out of bed. "Thanks sweetheart." She said, grabbing the phone, cursing at herself for not charging her cell phone.

"Cabot." She said.

"Alex where the hell is Nick?" Elliot's voice rang through the phone.

"Uhhhh…" Alex said glancing at Nick and Antonio playing rock, paper, scissors, on the bed. "He's uhh here."

"WHAT?" Elliot demanded. "WHY THE HELL DID YOU TAKE SOMEONE YOU BARELY KNOW HOME?"

Alex drew a breath. "Elliot please. Chill. He's a great guy and well he and Antonio have really hit it off and I like him kay? So please, breathe and stop screaming."

Elliot did breath, but he didn't listen to the second part. "ALEX WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU WERE THINKING?"

"Sure. I was thinking, maybe he's a good guy and I was right. Also I was thinking that you would be happy for me not yelling at me."

Elliot calmed down. "Fine Alex. I get that you're a big girl, but if he hurts you in any way, I'm gonna kill him.

"Fine." She retorted and flipping her cell phone shut.

"What was that all about?" Nick asked curiously.

"Nothing. Just big brother watching."

"Oh okay. Well we need to get to work. Where does Antonio go while you're on the job?"

Twenty minutes later, Alex and Nick were on their way to the morgue after they had dropped Antonio off at his daycare.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Greg awoke with a start. He rubbed his head. He vaguely remembered a redhead beside him sometime in the night. He must have been dreaming. He spotted Warrick lying on the floor. That part he remembered. He smiled and rubbed his hands gleefully together.

Warrick yelped as he felt icy coldness run down his back. He jumped up and tried to get the ice out, hopping up in down. Greg watched with hysterical laughter.

"GREG" Warrick roared diving at him.

"Oh shit." Greg said with wide eyes and then ran out as fast as he could. He bolted out the front door with Warrick hot on his heels.

"I'm sorry!" he yelled as Warrick took advantage of his former football abilities and tackled him to the ground. "HELP!" Greg screeched, wrestling with Warrick and trying not to mess up his hair at the same time.

At that moment both Elliot's car and Munch's car pulled into the driveway. The two glanced up and quickly pulled apart.

"What a great way to start the day." Munch said with an amused expression on his face. "We've got a killer on the loose and two of our own are going at each other's throats."

"Sorry." The two of htem muttered.

Elliot walked up to them. "Okay are you going to behave or are we going to have to cuff you?" he asked, only half joking.

Warrick stood up and brushed himself off. "We're good." He said.

Fin grinned. "Then you're coming with us and Spikey there can go with Elliot."

Greg looked nervously at Elliot. "Uhhh guys?" But the others were already gone.

"You're with me buddy." Elliot said amused. "You can ride in the back."

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Casey was in her office, when she got Melinda's call. She was replaying the events of the night before. She knew she hadn't done anything completely stupid thanks to Catherine's explanation, but she was still embarrassed. ADAs don't get drunk and then show up at someone's doorstep. She was just glad it was Catherine's doorstep and not some random judge. She rubbed her temples. She felt the biggest hangovers of her life and she still had five cases to arraign that day. The biggie, however, was Warner's urgent message for them to be at the morgue.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Olivia and Catherine took Melinda to the morgue. They had dropped off Lindsay with Melinda's sitter and picked her up in turn. Melinda was busy describing the only piece of evidence they had.

"45 Caliber." She said simply, shaking her head as they entered the morgue.

Catherine and Olivia exchanged glances, which Catherine quickly pulled away from. She couldn't help but feel like she wasn't quite up to Olivia's league. _She's so pretty. _She thought. She bit her lip. Why would Grissom want her when he could have Olivia? Catherine was no longer in perfect dancer form. Olivia was a green-eyed beauty that had the golden brown hair to match, not to mention had a way with people that Catherine would never compete with. She broke away from her thoughts when the rest of the gang entered.

Within in minutes everyone had settled, Elliot and Olivia perched side by side on a nearby counter, Catherine close to Melinda with Grissom peeking over her shoulder right in front of Olivia's leg, Munch and Fin were watching from the opposite side of the room, Nick had his arm wrapped around Alex's waist much to Cragen's disapproval, Casey was right beside him, watching closely, Sara had her arms crossed and was watching Melinda with wary eyes, and Greg and Warrick were glaring at each other from across the room, their paths to each other blocked by both Catherine and Nick.

"Killer had the same MO. Body dumped in a trash bag, blue paint on the victim's hand." Melinda said softly.

"Is that all you have to tell us?" Sara asked rather haughtily, making Catherine glare at her. Sara didn't care. She wasn't on the case in Las Vegas and was rather annoyed at Catherine for not letting her in on it until Grissom was forcing them to go to New York.

Melinda sent back a glare of her own. "No, what I was going to say was that the victim had a bullet in her. A 45 caliber." She said.

Olivia sighed. "Not exactly an uncommon gun." She observed. "Not to mention millions of people own guns."

Catherine was biting her lip. "I hate how this guy changes his way of killing them every time, but leaves everything the same."

Grissom patted her on the back. He wasn't feeling much better, but it hurt him to see Catherine beat herself up over the case. He knew that she thought it was her fault. She thought she hadn't done her job right the first time and caught the copycat instead of the right guy. She had never been able to live with it.

"We'll get him." Grissom said.

Elliot jumped off the counter. "Let's go and check out the crime scene, Maybe you guys can get something off of it." He said.

The CSI agreed, and followed him out. Cragen beckoned to Olivia.

"I want you to watch their backs. This killer may want to hurt them for chasing him all around the country." He said quietly.

Olivia nodded. "Me and El got it covered." She said softly.

Munch and Fin walked up to their captain. "We're gonna look at the victim's phone records and stuff, see if find any connections to previous victims." Fin said.

Cragen nodded. "Go and call me with any results."

He turned back to Melinda. "What's the matter?" he asked quietly.

"The killer has moved on from that school in Vegas. He's in New York now. Fin needs to tell us what school she went to." Melinda said. "I'm afraid if it's a big league school that'll increase our list of suspects."

Cragen could see her concern and he was worried as well. "I'll have Fin and Munch hurry up their search." He said, flipping on his cell.

Casey and Alex glanced at both of them. Both felt a little helpless at the moment. They were lawyers, not detectives and they couldn't do anything. Suddenly Alex got an idea.

"I'm gonna get an arrest warrant for this guy." She said. "After a crime like this, no judge is gonna care that we don't have the guy yet.

Casey agreed and picked up her briefcase. "I'm going with her." she said as they both rushed out of the room. Trying desperately to do something instead of feeling helpless.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Olivia and Elliot were watching as the CSI group examined the scene. Greg was going crazy with the camera, Grissom and Catherine were bent over something at the base of a tree, Nick and Sara were completely focused on the evidence photos, and Warrick was taking a sample of DNA from the railing near the scene.

Catherine ventured farther from the tree. She spotted something sticking out of the ground. _Oh no. _she thought as she bent down to examine it. It looked like hair.

"Gil!" she called. "I think I got something."

Everyone hurried over. She pointed at it.

"Ew." Greg said making a face and getting elbowed by Warrick.

Elliot looked grim as he beckoned the group to move back. "I'm gonna dig it up." He said.

The group held their breath as Elliot pulled a bag out of the ground. Grissom and Catherine exchanged glances. Catherine took a deep breath and opened the bag. It was a rag doll's head with a note on the back of a drawing of a terrified woman.

_I still have her_

_Mr.Grissom_

_But I want more_

_Love what you have_

_For it might be lost_

Catherine felt a red hot anger surge through her. "He's taunting us." She said softly.

Grissom saw the anger in her eyes and everyone else noticed the way her hands shook from anger. "Yeah. He is." He said plainly.

Olivia placed a hand on Grissom's shoulder. "We need to talk." She said firmly as she pulled him away.

Catherine watched his retreating back with a broken look in her eyes. She had been right. The two had a thing for each other and she couldn't compare with the detective. Where Olivia was warm, Catherine was sarcastic, where Olivia was supportive, Catherine was blunt. She was nothing compared to the detective. It was time for her to move on.

"I think we need to get these back to trace." She said slowly.

Sara was studying her face. "Yeah." She said carefully. "I'll do that." She got up and grabbed the nearest car and drove off.

Elliot didn't like this at all. As glad as he was to not have found a body, he wasn't happy to find a killer toying with their minds.

"This guy's crazy." He said.

"Duh." Nick said, glancing at him.

Elliot glared at him. He didn't have a problem with the guy, but he didn't like anyone near Alex. Elliot thought of her as his little sister and nothing this guy did would make Elliot think that he was good enough for her. "Well if you're so sure of everything then maybe you would've solved the case by now."

Nick shot daggers at the ex-marine. Without a word, he stood and walked away to examine the scene for any further clues. What Elliot had said had struck him deeply. He couldn't believe after so many years the CSI team hadn't been able to track him down yet. That never happened before.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, the entire group was within the SVU squad room.

"Who's is Gil gonna lose?" Sara asked out loud.

Everyone had their eyebrows knitted together, lost in thought. Catherine couldn't stand it any longer.

"Olivia." She blurted out.

Everyone gave her a strange look.

She flushed. "I saw you two on the roof, maybe the killer saw it too."

Olivia's eyes grew wide. "You saw that?"

"Hard not to."

Melinda became uneasy. She knew Grissom liked Catherine, but the two hadn't displayed a single sign of affection between the two of them. It was now apparent that the next potential victim was Olivia.

"Olivia you're off the case" Cragen said firmly.

"WHAT?" Olivia demanded. "You can't take me off just because Catherine thinks that I'm next!"

Cragen stared her down. "I can and I am." He said, his voice emotionless. "Elliot watch her tonight, make sure she's safe."

Elliot nodded. "Liv don't fight it. I'll keep you updated." He said, trying to comfort her.

She gave a groan and walked out, slamming the door of the crib behind her. Catherine turned back to the evidence.

Three hours later, everyone decided to call it a night. Not because they were tired, but because each had too many things on their mind.

"Cath." Grissom said as they walked out.

"Yeah?"

"About that thing with Olivia…"

"Gil I didn't mean anything by it. I just meant the killer could have taken it the wrong way. "

"Oh. Well…okay then."

"Uh huh. Night Gil."

"Night."

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Elliot was hurting. To hear what Catherine said about Grissom and Olivia hurt him deeply. He felt hot tears filling his eyes, but kept them in check. They arrived at her apartment building and got out. He ws silent all the way up to her floor and even after the entered her apartment.

Finally he spoke. "So you and Grissom huh?" he choked the words almost too painful to bear.

"What are you talking about?" she asked confused.

"What Catherine said."

Olivia flushed. "Oh no. It was nothing like that. I was a little sad about something and well Grissom cheered me up."

Elliot observed her with soft eyes. "What were you sad about?" he asked softly.

"Promise not to laugh?" Olivia said nervously.

"Yeah."

"I thought you liked Catherine." She said. "I can't fight this feeling anymore. I love you Elliot Stabler, I have since the day I met you."

Elliot's heart lifted at the sound of the most beautiful words she could ever say to him. "Liv…" he said and then his mouth was over hers.

Catherine didn't go home or to pick up her daughter. She knew Lindsay would be safe with Melinda and that Melinda would understand if she went solo for a little while. She was back at the crime scene. She surveyed it. She went to the railing. It was dark but she wasn't afraid. The scene was exactly like the one in Vegas. The railing, the fountain, the thick bushes.

She walked toward the railing and put her hand on it. Blue paint covered her palm. She walked toward the fountain and observed the area from there. She heard something behind her and she whirled a second too late.

She hit the ground with a soft cry and that was all she knew before blackness claimed her.

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Long long chapter. I hope you like it. Told you I would have some EO…more to come of all of them actually…more Melinda too!


	7. Things in the Night

Chapter Seven- Things in the Night

Thanks to LegaspiWeaver, ACertainJustice, BookWorm0485, big-smiles-all-around, KaydenceRei, Mma63, Maggie Dolye, soliz, KWillows, and DrusillaBraun for their reviews.

Special thanks to Sergeant Happy Bunny...you are totally and completely amazing and I love you!

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It was over before it even began. Elliot watched Olivia from across the room. She was pacing and running her fingers through her hair, which she always did when she was worried.

"Elliot we can't do this." She said looking at him with a pleading expression in her eyes.

"Why not?" he asked. He didn't understand her reluctance.

"Elliot, our jobs. If 'we' happen then one of us will lose our jobs." She said. "We can't do this. Hell, I don't even know if I'm ready for this."

"But what about what you said. What about the fact that we love each other?" he demanded, his temper rising.

"We just can't Elliot." Olivia said in a resigned tone. "I was just out of it when I said what I said. I didn't mean it."

Elliot drew a sharp breath at those words. "I don't like it when people play with my feelings and I sure as hell didn't expect it from you Olivia." He slammed his fist against the wall, making Olivia jump. "Do whatever you want. I don't care anymore." He said, walking out the door.

Olivia watched him go and when the door was shut and she was sure he couldn't hear her, she sank to her knees and cried, long raking sobs that sent tremors down her body.

Elliot wasn't fairing much better. He stormed to his car and gunned the engine for home. He was angry at Olivia for giving him hope and then taking it away, he was angry at himself for doing something so stupid, and he was angry at fate for not allowing him to have the one thing that would make him happy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alex could get used to these nights with Nick's arms around her waist and watching Antonio playing at their feet. Alex didn't stop working though. She kept half an eye on Antonio and the other on the file opened on her lap. Nick was reading over her shoulder.

"Long day." He said softly.

"You have no idea. This case is driving everyone crazy and I'm trying to get warrants left and right for other cases." She said, leaning her head back against his chest.

"I'm glad that I'm not you." Nick teased, playing with Alex's blonde hair.

"Oh shut up Cowboy, like your work is much better."

"I think it is. At least dead bodies don't talk back." He said.

"You're horrible." Alex said between fits of laughter.

Nick laughed. "Not my fault."

Antonio crawled onto the couch and Alex moved her file so her son could sit on her lap.

"Mommy, is the Ghost back?" he asked softly.

Alex's expression turned into one of concern and worry. "What do you mean honey?" she asked.

"Last time you worked and didn't play with me was when the ghost was going to get out of jail." He said.

Nick observed Alex's next moves with admiration.

"Honey, he's not out and I'm going to make sure he will never get out. He won't bother us again, baby. This is something different that I'm helping a friend with." She said meeting her son's eyes with soft gaze. "I promise he won't haunt you ever again." She ruffled his hair and just like that his eyes brightened again.

Nick smiled. "I think its time for bed." He said, taking on the fatherly role with as much ease as he had on a horse.

Alex agreed. "Come on Antonio. Bed." She said.

Antonio giggled when Alex and Nick chased him up the stairs. Both tucked him in and then Alex kissed him on the forehead and whispered. "Te amo mi hijo."

Antonio grinned. "Mommy your Spanish is getting better."

"Gracias mi vida. Buenos noches."

She turned out the light and shut the door as she and Nick made their way to her bedroom. There they got ready for bed, but never went to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sara was working late, as usual. She was in the precinct looking through old police files in relation to the current case.

"Do you ever sleep?" Munch asked from the doorway of the file room.

"No I'm a vampire." Sara said sarcastically.

"Interesting, that would explain why you never go out in the sun." He retorted.

Sara glared at him. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"I thought maybe I could help you. You're looking for files and I've been here a while."

Sara snorted. "I can tell."

Munch only grinned and started to pull files for here. "These are the cases that had blue paint in them." He said.

She took them and muttered a quick thank you.

Munch watched her work. "What are you looking for?" he asked after several moments passed.

"Any connections." She said before heaving a great sigh and sitting down in a chair with a defeated expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Munch asked, thoroughly concerned.

"When this guy was in Vegas he murdered people that went to my old school. I want to know what school this new victim's from." She said. "Weren't you supposed to find out?"

Munch nodded. "Fin and I found out that the victim went to NYU." He said.

"And it's made up of hundreds of students." Fin said coming up behind Munch.

"That makes protecting potential victims especially difficult." Munch finished.

Sara groaned. "Great so no matter how hard we try, we have no way of making sure he doesn't hurt anyone else."

Munch threw up his hands. "Thus the greatness of New York's finest." He said sarcastically.

Fin elbowed him. "No pun intended, Miss Sidle, but I think we can try out best since you're not from around here, but we can make small numbers work."

"We are so not using bait." Sara said, getting his point on the spot.

Munch pondered it. "We may not have a choice."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Casey found friendship in Greg. He was hilarious and he made her laugh. The whole thing started when she went to Greg's condo, which he shared with Sara to thank Greg for not letting her do anything very stupid the night she was drunk. She had already done the stupid part, but he kept it from getting worse. Sara hadn't been home and so Greg invited her in. Now they were talking and laughing like old friends.

"So how does your hair defy gravity and sticks up like that?" she asked between fits of giggling.

"That gentle lady is a top secret protected by the CIA." Greg said, with a sweeping bow.

Casey snorted and laughed. "Since when was I gentle lady?" she muttered sarcastically.

Greg smiled. "Or ungentle lady whatever you want."

Casey slapped him lightly on the arm. "O come off it." She said.

Greg gave her an impish grin. "Hmm…although why did you pick Warrick? I mean of all the guys."

Casey laughed. "Cause he was the only one available."

"Oh right, Nick and that blonde."

"That blonde has a name." Casey said fighting back laughter "Alex."

"Right, Alex." He said with a wry grin.

"So how busy are you on this case?" he asked.

"A little, but Alex has been holding the ropes on this one. I'm just along for the ride." Casey replied.

"Does she control your cases a lot?" he asked, tilting his head to one side.

Casey shook her head. "Nah, she usually gives me a free rein and rarely ever questions the decisions I make, but she's been getting a lot of press on this one and I think it scares the hell outta her if this guy gets out, so we're working together. Personally on this case I prefer her taking the lead cause she's got more experience than I do."

"O ok…I was wondering if you were bitter. I mean I know some people on my team would be bitter if they were in the lead." His mind wandered to Sara, sometimes she could be so impossible to work with.

Casey smiled. "The SVU team is fully used to each other and don't have a problem with handing cases to each other." She said.

She checked her watch. "I should run. I've got court tomorrow morning and its going to be hell trying to find my way if it gets any darker and my street always has all the streetlights out."

Greg glanced at her. "You could stay here."

Casey decided against it. Sara scared her a little. She had never met someone so determined to make sure everyone kept their distance. "Nah it's okay. I got to go over some of my other cases anyway." She said, heading out the door.

Before Casey walked out though, she sneaked a glance at Greg. He was adorable and not much older than herself. She found herself blushing slightly when he met her gaze, but she quickly shut the door and drove away.

Greg smiled as she left. She was something else. Casey's red hair was redder than Catherine's and she was so young. She didn't act like she was barely in her mid twenties, but after talking to her, he knew that she was. She let loose in front of him and had joked and laughed. All of it contradicted the serious lawyer he had first seen upon entering the squad room. He secretly hoped to see her again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Melinda finally got home. It had been a long night and she was looking forward to nothing more than a warm bath and some sleeping pills. Her husband, Patrick, was sitting on the couch waiting for her when she slipped in the front door.

"Where have you been?" he asked with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Working." She replied. It was a routine by now. "Where's Lindsay and Natasha?"

"Asleep upstairs." He replied. "Melinda I can't do this anymore."

_This is the window to my heart_

_I just want us to be free_

_Ain't no freedom where we are_

_Ain't no wishes in these stars_

_Ain't no reason to believe_

"What do you mean?" Melinda asked softly.

"I can't spend every night alone anymore Melinda." He said.

"You're right." She agreed. They both knew their marriage was over. It was so over they needed a new word for over. Both were just unwilling to let go.

_Don't worry baby_

_Maybe this is what we need_

_A little bruise and a little bleeding_

_Some space that we can breathe in_

_And some silence in between_

"I want a divorce." Patrick said firmly.

Melinda didn't argue. She knew it was coming. Knew it the moment their marriage began to come undone. Maybe she had been working long hours to avoid hearing him say those words.

"Alright." She managed to say, although her throat felt like it was closing off.

He looked back at her with eyes full of grief and pain.

_So cry for my baby_

_And I'll cry for you_

_And we'll both break down and we'll break through_

_Find our way and face the truth_

_We both will be stronger_

_And we'll lie down in our loneliness_

_And wake up with our sad regrets_

_And even though we don't know it yet_

_We both will be stronger_

He headed for the door. His stuff was all packed and in the trunk of his car. He just didn't want to leave without seeing Melinda on last time. Melinda stared at the ring on her finger and felt tears surface. They both knew it was over, but then why did it hurt so much?

At the door, he turned to look back one last time. Melinda was gazing at him. She wasn't asking him to stay but she wasn't telling him to leave either. Patrick knew that the moment he walked out the door, she would never let him back in. She was full of pride that way. His decision to leave would be his decision and his decision alone. She would not say a thing to him about it. He walked away

Melinda sank down onto the couch after he was gone with tears streaming down her face. She kept her sobs quiet for fear of waking the children upstairs. She forced herself to climb the stairs and lie down on the bed. It was only hers now. She caught her husband's scent and buried her face in his pillow, trying to hang on, but knowing she had to let go.

_I can't believe you're really gone, now_

_But I know it's for the best_

_And I know that we were right_

_But I still reach for each night_

_And man that hurts like hell_

_Cry for me baby and I'll cry for you_

_And we'll both break down and we'll both break through_

_Find our way and we'll face the truth_

_And we both will be stronger_

_And we'll lie down in our loneliness _

_And wake up with our sad regrets_

_Even though we don't know it yet_

_We both will be stronger_

Across town, Patrick was lying awake, staring at a photograph of him and Melinda and their daughter. It was impossible to say when exactly he had thought about leaving, but he knew that night after night he couldn't keep the thought out of his mind. Melinda was never home. He rarely saw her and their love died without her there to keep the flame going.

She made a mistake. The biggest mistake of her life. She should have been there to keep their love alive, but she hadn't. She had spent her nights examining dead bodies and her days dealing with evidence packets. Few people even knew she was married. The ring symbolized nothing anymore. She closed her eyes and cried.

_This is the window to my heart_

_I just want us to be free_

_Baby I'm sorry for the way things are_

_Good bye is always hard_

_But we both will be stronger_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Grissom was panicking. He couldn't find Catherine anywhere. He had driven to her condo to find it empty. He had then driven to the morgue and then the precinct. Nothing. Finally at his wit's end he drove to the crime scene. He carefully examined the scene before him, but something caught his eye. Strawberry blonde hair on the wet railing.

"No." he breathed.

He whipped out his cell phone, dread in every pore of his being. "Cragen, we got a problem." He said, his voice breaking from fear.

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Song's not by me. It's sung by Faith Hill. Uh I hope you liked this chapter. I tried to include all the characters in this chapter. I hope I did a good job. R&R for more!


	8. This Time It's Personal

Chapter Eight- This Time It's Personal

Thanks to obsessedwithstabler, KaydenceRei, Erin, Maggie Dolye, soliz, stareagle, Lady Heather, DrusillaBraun, KWillows, and Mad as the Hatter for their reviews and for keeping this story alive.

Special thanks to Sergeant Happy Bunny….what can I say? I'm crazy about you. Clinically insane…just don't tell anyone or they'll come and take me away. Lol Jk

Disclaimer: All rights reserved by Dick Wolf and the guy who made CSI. I can't spell his name, but he's with CBS. No profit made. (I wish)

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Catherine awoke with an excruciating headache. She sat up only to find herself feeling the need to throw up. Her head was spinning and she fought her gag reflex. Her memory swam. She couldn't remember anything about the attack. She tried to move her hands to find them tied behind her back and her mouth taped with duck tape. She struggled against the bonds until her wrists bled, but it was to no avail. She felt another wave of pain wash through her and she lost consciousness again.

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Cragen was with Munch, Sara, and Fin when he got Grissom's call.

"Cragen." He said in a very professional tone.

"It's Grissom. I can't find Catherine!" Came a yelling voice over the phone. Cragen had to hold it about a foot away from his ear to keep himself from going death.

Sara heard Grissom's voice and his words. Panic filled her. She yanked the phone away from Cragen.

"What?" she demanded her voice rising to the point where Munch raised his eyebrows and exchanged glances with Fin, surprised that her voice could rise that high.

"I can't find Catherine and she's not answering her phone." Grissom said. "I went to the crime scene just for the heck of it, cause you know how Catherine's attached to this case. Well I found strawberry blonde hair on the railing."

Sara covered her mouth with her hands. "No. Grissom she can't have been taken."

"You're right Sara, because I can't go on without her." He whispered before he knew what he was saying.

"What was that?" Sara asked, pushing the phone closer to her ear.

"Nothing." He quickly covered. "Get the team and meet me here. Now!" he commanded.

Sara hurried to obey. Munch and Fin helped, calling the SVU squad while Sara raced to contact all the CSIs.

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Alex groaned as the phone rang. She heaved herself up to her elbows, reaching for the phone over Nick's still sleeping form beside her. But as soon as she reached over him, he stirred and snuggled his face into her hair, bringing a smile to her face.

"Cabot." She answered, trying not to giggle into the phone when Nick started to kiss her neck.

"Alex? It's Munch. We need you to get a full search warrant for all the staff in NYU." Munch's voice said into the phone.

Alex sat up so fast, Nick jumped. She gave him a apologetic glance, before yelling into the phone. "DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK THAT A JUDGE IS GONNA LET ME GET A WARRANT LIKE THAT?"

Nick put a finger to his lips. "You're gonna wake Antonio." He whispered softly, rubbing her shoulders to get her to calm down.

Alex's voice dropped. "Seriously Munch. No judge is gonna issue a warrant like that."

"They might if they knew the circumstances."

"What happened?" Alex asked, unable to keep the dread out of her voice.

"Willows's been kidnapped."

Alex gaped. Nick stared at her confused, wondering what was going on.

"I'll try John." She said, before hanging up.

"Nick I think we need to talk." She said softly as Nick's eyes clouded in fear.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Olivia was next on the list to be called. "Benson." She said all businesslike.

"LIv? It's Fin."

"Hey. What's up?" she asked, rubbing her already red and swollen eyes.

"It's Willows. She's been kidnapped. We think by the perp." He replied quickly. "I'm gonna call Elliot, but get here as soon as you can."

"Yeah. I'm on my way." She responded, starting to pull on her work clothes.

She snapped on her belt and her gun before checking her reflection in the mirror. She was a sight. Her hair was messy and her eyes were red. She was one of those girls who couldn't cry without looking horrible. She sighed deeply. She'll get over Elliot. She hoped.

Her thoughts traveled to Catherine and wondered if she was okay. Catherine had a lot to live for. She was obviously loved by her team and she had a daughter who thought she was a hero. Thinking this, Olivia's movements became more rushed. She had to get the woman back. Her earlier feelings of jealousy toward the girl seemed foolish and immature now. Now she was just worried. She climbed into her car and sped toward the precinct.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Grissom's frantic voice came over the line when Warrick picked up his phone.

"Catherine's been kidnapped." He said. "I need you at the precinct now."

Warrick dropped the phone in shock. He and Catherine had been partners for a while and they had bonded. They were so close and always met for drinks after solving a case. Catherine was strong. It was hard to Warrick to imagine her helpless in any situation. He quickly got dressed. He made himself a silent vow. He wouldn't rest until she was back with them and perfectly okay.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Novak."

"Casey, it's Alex. I need you to print out a search warrant form and meet me at the office. We need to make a very lengthy warrant."

"For what?" Casey asked, rushing toward her computer, tripping over some files in the process.

"All the belongings of the staff at NYU." Alex replied.

Casey was silent for a moment. "You're kidding right?"

"No I'm not. A CSI is missing and we have no voice." She responded firmly.

"Alright, but which CSI?" she asked, crossing her fingers that it wasn't Greg.

Alex was silent for a moment. "Catherine." She said finally, before the line hung up with a click.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What happened?" Nick demanded. "What about Catherine?"

Alex bit her lip. Nick was scared and that scared Alex. She placed her hands over his.

"I'm sorry Nick, but Catherine's missing. Grissom thinks she's been kidnapped." She said softly and gently.

Nick stared at her. "No…" he said softly in disbelief. He closed his eyes and Alex saw tears come to his eyes.

On instinct she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Shhh…." She whispered.

Nick couldn't believe it. Catherine was one of his mentors and she understood his background. He had come from Texas where ranching was a way of life and cattle and horses were your best friends. Catherine had grown up in the same world and there were times where they would drive to the outskirts of the Nevada desert just to ride and relieve the feeling of the wind in their hair and the home they had left behind. She knew secrets about him that he had never told anyone before.

Alex held him close. She could tell that he cared about Catherine and that he was scared of losing her. It made feel closer to him than before. His sensitivity and obvious attachment to the woman, made Alex determined to get this warrant. Not just to bring Catherine back, but to ease Nick's fear and pain.

"We'll get him honey. And I'll get the warrant. I promise." She said softly in his ear.

He believed her. "I know." He said, lifting his head to meet Alex's blue gaze. "I know." He repeated softly.

He didn't doubt it. He had never seen a DA quite like Alex. As far as he was concerned, she was the best. He had heard about her cases. She had an impressive win/lose ratio and was the first prosecutor to ever get spousal rape past a grand jury. He admired her dedication and stubbornness and the passion she showed for her job. If anyone could pull strings to get Catherine back no matter how difficult. It was Alex. He found himself trusting the detectives as well. If Alex believed they were up to the job, Nick would believe it too. He just hoped that New York's finest, will be able enough.

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Greg was at the precinct two minutes after Grissom called him. He was the first one there. Casey was there as well. One look at his confused face, Casey knew that Greg was wondering how on earth it could've happened. She walked over to him. Without a word, he buried his face in her neck. She hugged him tightly.

"It's gonna be okay." She said softly.

"I hope so." He said just as quietly before pulling away. He gazed at her and then his gaze shifted to Grissom who was staring off in space with a lost expression. "For his sake, I hope she's okay."

Grissom didn't even get a chance to call Nick before he and Alex showed up in the doorway. Both looked a little worse for wear. They were just waiting on the detectives now.

"They're on their way." Alex informed.

"Good." Sara stated plainly, earning a glare from Casey.

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Elliot was speeding toward the station. Cragen just got through to him. His cell had died and it had taken a while before Cragen could remember his home number. Now he was driving as fast as he could toward the precinct. He was just glad there was no traffic, but he was also dreading seeing Olivia again. He couldn't back out though. He had a job to do. With that in mind, he pressed harder on the gas pedal, arriving at the precinct within minutes.

He and Olivia got there at the exact same time. They parked right next to each other just like usual, but this time there was no laughter as the two entered. They always entered together, but this time their entrance was silent and uncomfortable…Olivia unwilling to meet Elliot's eyes and Elliot choosing to look anywhere but at her.

They hurried into the precinct and sat down at their desk, still not talking and not looking at each other. Everyone noticed this but chose not to say anything about it. Usually when they had fights it would blow over within minutes. They all hoped this time it would not be different, especially since there was a life on the line.

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Melinda made it into the precinct a moment before Grissom started to speak. She was a mess and she had a distant look on her eyes. She had a heartache from before, but she reminded herself that life had to move on and there was a little girl, spending the night with her daughter that needed her mother back. Lindsay had begun to ask questions that Melinda had to dodge with care. She didn't need to put fear into the little girl's mind and had just told her that her mother had to help Grissom with something and will see her soon. Lindsay had believed her…barely.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Grissom had his head in his hands. "I want every man on the job." He said firmly to Cragen. "I don't care how many other cases you have going on, but I want all you've got on this case."

Melinda knew it was impossible and spoke up. "Grissom we can't do that. You always say every case is the same and we have to react to each one equally. No case is personal."

Nick took a step forward. He knew Grissom's way of dealing with cases, but this was different. It was Catherine. He was ready to smack some sense into Melinda, but Alex laid a hand on his arm, making him retain his senses.

Grissom's eyes were distant when he looked at her and said in a lost voice. "This isn't just any case Melinda. The bastard took Catherine. This time, it is personal."

"It's my fault."

"No Grissom. It's not. No one could've seen it coming. Not even you." Olivia said quietly.

"I asked her to come. I told her which case it was."

"And if you hadn't she would have hated you for life." Sara said softly. "You know that Grissom. She wanted this case and she would want us to do whatever we can to solve it."

"All the more reason to get cracking." Olivia said practically. "The faster we start a search, the more likely we'll get her back alive."

Elliot had to agree. "She's right. If we sit here, and blame ourselves, we'll never get her back." He said, subconsciously, putting a hand on Olivia's shoulder.

Olivia flinched and pulled away. Munch noticed, but he didn't say a word about. He just had an idea what was going on and put it in his mind to pry later.

Cragen took charge. His logical orders and firm tone was what made him a great captain and what made the detectives and CSIs alike look at him and follow his orders. They were staring at him now. His detectives looked grim. No one wanted one of their guests to get hurt and the CSIs just looked lost, losing one of their own, especially their second in command was a devastating loss.

"Casey and Alex, go to court. I want that warrant and I want it now." He commanded. "Melinda go to the morg. See if you can dig up any more on the bodies. Sara, bring in Lindsay. I want Olivia and Elliot to question her if she knew any of her mother's plans. Fin, Munch, look for any links between any of the cases that can bring us to Catherine Willows. Olivia and Elliot, I want you go through all of Catherine's phone records and the GPS system on her car. I want to know where she was before she disappeared."

He paused and turned to the CSIs. He had only given Sara a command because he was starting to get to know her through Munch. They had some late night chats about her and her interesting demeanor. Cragen knew he had no right to command the CSIs to do anything. That was Grissom's job.

Grissom knew that Cragen was expecting him to give commands over his own team. He had to pull himself together, but he found it difficult to tell the group to do anything without Catherine by his side, rechecking all of his ideas for possible errors or a better way to do things. She was his right hand. He couldn't function properly without her. He cleared his throat.

"Alright. We go back to the crime scene. We examine every leaf, piece of dirt, and every fiber. We find her." He said firmly with a hard look in his eyes that made the hair on every single one of the CSIs stand up on end.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Everyone was intently focused on the evidence at the scene. Grissom never lifted up his head once. He was examining every inch of the ground for possible footprints or clues.

Nick was bagging Catherine's flashlight and her wallet. Within it there was a picture of Lindsay, which reminded Nick of the necessity of bringing her back safely. She had a daughter who needed her and loved her. This made Nick even more determined to outsmart the perp.

Greg was lifting prints off the railing. He got three sets.

"If any of these prints belong to the perp, then he's slipping." Greg pointed out.

Grissom glanced up for the first since arriving at the scene. "Then let's pray that he's slipping or else we may never find her."

Up ahead, Warrick found Catherine's gun. "Guys, I got her gun." He called.

Grissom was at his side in a moment. "Going north." His eyes narrowed suddenly understanding. "She's leaving a trail for us."

Warrick stared at him. "The blood on the ground suggests that she was unconscious."

"Perhaps she woke up and feigned sleep, but left various clues behind. The killer usually doesn't leave behind anything about his victim." Grissom pointed out.

Warrick knew he was right. His heart swelled with admiration at his mentor. She had trained him and even in her absence she was still helping him.

Grissom noticed something in the ground. His heart plummeted with horror. It was the missing woman. She was dead. There was a drawing beside her body. With trembling hands, Grissom picked it up. It was a picture of a bloody and unconscious Catherine.

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That is my stopping point. I've actually already outlined my ideas for the next chapter, but I think it would be too long to put it all together. Hope you enjoyed that. More on the way! 3


	9. New York's Finest

Chapter Nine- New York's Finest

Thanks to KWillows, Maggie Doyle, DrusillaBraun, soliz, obsessedwithstabler, KaydenceRei, and big-smiles-all-around for their reviews!

Sergeant Happy Bunny….yeah yeah yeah…same old same

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one.

Author's Note: Sorry for confusing you in the last chapter. I tried to include all the characters in it, but really just ended up confusing most of you guys and me as well. I will try and do better this time.

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The CSI team stared at the drawing. It was a rough sketch, but it captured every detail of fear and pain on Catherine's face. Melinda bit her lip. This guy was a freak and a psychopath. Catherine couldn't be left alone with him for much longer if they wanted her to survive.

"I brought Lindsay." Sara said from the doorway. "She's in the interview room."

"Olivia, I want you to question her and Sara to listen in." Cragen ordered.

Sara cocked an eyebrow. "I'm not a detective." She said a little confused.

"Yeah, but Lindsay might be more comfortable with a familiar face." Elliot reasoned before Olivia could open her mouth.

They exchanged glances for a moment, in their usual manner, but both quickly looked away. Their fight still fresh on their minds.

"We'll go and process what we got from the crime scene." Nick spoke up.

He meant him, and Grissom. He couldn't even look Grissom's way. The leader of their team looked so defeated and lost that Nick found himself frightened. Grissom was never scared and seeing him this scared and worried, made Nick feel small. He motioned to Grissom, who gave no acknowledgement that he had even heard him.

"Let's go." He said firmly, pulling on his arm.

Grissom stood up and followed Nick out blindly, but his hand was clutch tightly around the evidence bag that contained the sketch of Catherine.

Melinda watched them leave with saddened eyes. "I'm going to go and examine the body." She said, excusing herself quickly and headed in the direction of the morgue.

Warrick turned to Greg. "Let's go back and process the rest of the crime scene." He said.

Greg nodded in agreement. "I got a feeling that Catherine may have left us more clues."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alex groaned with frustration. Casey was clicking her pen impatiently and usually the sound didn't get to Alex, but this time it did.

"Casey would you please stop?" she asked, more harshly than she had meant to sound.

Casey froze, a bewildered expression on her face. "Uh…okay." She mumbled.

Alex gave her an apologizing look. "Sorry, it's just this case and how long this judge is taking to consider our warrant." She explained.

Casey gave her a hug. "I know, but you barely knew her."

"I didn't know Catherine, but Nick sure does." Alex replied, blushing at the latter part of her sentence.

Casey was amused. "Tell me you aren't in love." She teased.

Blushing furiously, Alex gave her a gentle whap on the arm'

"OW!" Casey whined, hitting Alex back with a grin. "Come on, spill the juicy details. You're going way out of your way on this case and I know it's not just because you're a good person."

"Fine." Alex gave in. "Yeah I really like him. He's not like the guys I usually meet. He's different, polite, patient. Everything I've been looking for."

"It doesn't hurt that he's drop dead gorgeous either." Casey teased.

Alex made a face. "Yeah that too, but Antonio loves him."

Casey smiled. "He should. I can tell Nick Stokes is a good guy." She agreed.

"He is." Alex said softly, with a dreamy expression on her face. "He sure is."

Casey hid a smile. So she wasn't the only one completely enraptured by a Las Vegas Crime Scene Investigator.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hi Lindsay, I'm Olivia. I'm a friend of your mother's" Olivia said in a friendly tone.

Lindsay didn't answer.

"Lindsay, did your mother tell you where she was going after work?" Olivia asked the blonde little girl sitting across from her.

"No." Lindsay replied, rather softly.

She wasn't afraid of Olivia, or Sara, or anyone in the precinct. She grew up around cops and CSI and everything else having to do with crime and it was the usual stuff for her.

"She just kissed me good-bye, dropped me off at Ms. Warner's house and then went to work. She usually works late." Lindsay said. "Well she doesn't come back to morning, since she's always working the graveyard."

Olivia nodded and glanced at Sara, clearly asking for clarification.

"Night shift." Sara explained, ruffling Lindsay's hair affectionately.

"Gotcha." Olivia said. _Lindsay's not gonna be much help. _ She thought to herself.

The girl really didn't know much about her mother's work. Not that Olivia really blamed her. Crime and children just didn't mix and should never be mixed. Olivia leaned back in her chair. The little girl was precocious with lovely golden locks that framed her face and stunning blue eyes. _She inherited her mother's beauty. _Olivia observed.

Lindsay spoke quietly. "You're gonna find my mommy right?" she asked.

Olivia made the mistake of meeting the girl's eyes. "I promise." She said, wishing with every fiber of her being that she would be able to keep that promise.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He loved that about her. Elliot was watching Olivia through the glass one way mirror. She could coax things out of children that nobody else could and gain a child's trust within minutes. No one else could ever do that.

He watched her run her fingers through her golden brown hair, a gesture that only he knew as stress. She was worried and as was he. After seeing Catherine's little girl in the flesh, they weren't just looking for a CSI anymore. They were looking for a mother. His thoughts were interrupted when Olivia stepped out of the questioning room however.

"What do you think?" Olivia asked, making the point clear. _Let's keep things professional. _

"I don't know yet." Elliot replied meaning _we can try, but we know we can't._

Olivia didn't answer, just watched Sara tease a smile out of Lindsay.

"Let's get our jobs done." Was all she said.

That was it. No more discussion of the case. No more finishing each other sentences about ways that they could work this case together. Nothing. Just silence. It broke Elliot's heart and pained Olivia more than a bullet to the gut.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fin and Munch were playing paper football. Fin was winning. Munch as complaining about some political guy and Fin wasn't paying much mind. They couldn't leave until Alex and Casey came back with the warrant. They were bored.

"I bet twenty that the next one makes it in." Fin said, crumpling up another piece of paper.

"I bet fifty that the government is tapping my phone." Munch retorted.

"I bet one hundred that your fat ass is gonna end up in an asylum one day." Fin muttered.

"Make sure the one you send him to has the straight jackets." Sara said with a smirk in the doorway.

"You mean the awesome jackets that only VIPs get?" Munch said with a grin.

Sara made a face. "I don't think he's gonna end up there. If I keep hanging around him I might end up crazy."

"Hey I work with him." Fin muttered.

Sara giggled and Munch's smile softened at the sight of her. Fin noticed and silently reminded himself to tease Munch about it later.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Olivia, this isn't working." Elliot sighed.

"Damn right it isn't." Olivia said flipping through some files. "We've got paperwork up to the top of our heads. We need a better system."

"That's not what I meant." He said softly.

Olivia turned to look at him. "I know what you meant, but this is how I chose to answer." She replied lightly.

"That doesn't solve our problem." Elliot said firmly, coming up on top of her desk.

"Elliot, our problem can wait. This case can't." Olivia responded sitting up to gaze up at him.

"Our problem can't wait either, Olivia. It'll jeopardize us if we have to go out in the field. We can't communicate." He said softly.

Olivia put a hand on his unconsciously. "Elliot if there's one thing that I've learned about our partnership over the years, it's the fact that no matter what happens we can communicate. We argue and we fight, but when it comes time to get on the job, we're connected mind to mind." She whispered.

Elliot let it go. He knew she was right. She always was when it came to them. He squeezed her hand. "Alright we'll talk about this later, even though I wish we could solve it now."

"We can't Elliot. Our roots run too deep for us to work it out in the little time we have, but when things quiet down we will work it out, somehow."

"I can't get over my feelings for you Liv. Please just tell me you thought about that."

"I did Elliot and I've realized that I can't move no so easily myself." Olivia said slowly. "We just need to stop and think before we mess up our job and our friendship."

"But we will work it out right?" he asked uncertainly. Times like this he always needed Olivia's guidance.

"Promise that we will." She said, kissing him gently on the cheek. "Until then, let's go back to the way we were before…friends, partners" She gave him a wry smile. "New York's finest."

He laughed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I got something!" Warrick called.

Greg rushed up to him. "What?" he asked excitedly.

"Cloth." He said, holding up a fragment of a jacket. "Actually two of them."

Greg glanced at the two samples. "Hey that one, the blue, that's Catherine's. She was wearing it that day." He pointed out.

"Then who's is this?" Warrick asked holding up a dark brown piece of cloth.

Greg shrugged. "My guess is the perp's. I'm theorizing that he dragged her through these bushes and both their clothes got torn up."

Warrick glanced at him. "Good work with the big words." He said with a grin. "We're getting somewhere finally."

"Yep. But it isn't enough. Thousands of people in New York have brown jackets." Greg pointed out.

"Yeah, but let's finish up here first."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This is getting ridiculous." Alex muttered, tapping her heel on the marble floor of the courthouse.

"I agree." Casey replied, pacing back and forth. "What is with this judge?"

"I have no idea but I intend to find out." Alex said, walking toward the judge's chambers.

Casey chased after her. "What are you doing?" she demanded. "You can't just barge in there."

"Well I'm certainly not gonna stand here all day, waiting on a stupid signature." Alex said with an annoyed expression. "Learn this Casey, sometimes you gotta take things into your own hands."

Casey let her go. "Yes boss lady." She said flashing Alex a grin.

Alex entered the judge's chambers, to find Honorable Judge Johnson asleep in his chair. She rolled her eyes. This explained way to much.

Casey walked around him. "Uh do we poke him or something?" she asked Alex.

"I don't know." Alex said biting her lip. If she pissed of the judge, he might refuse to sign her warrant.

"This was your idea."

"Well I didn't think this far."

"Well then think."

Alex crossed her arms and tapped her fingers. Casey waited patiently. Alex couldn't decide. Casey was at the end of patience. She grabbed the first thing she saw. A pencil. Using the eraser end of it, she gave the judge a firm poke on the head.

"What? Huh?" He mumbled sitting up and nearly falling over.

Alex gave Casey a oh-shit-you-didn't-just-do-that-expression.

Casey flashed at I-think-I-just-did-so-you-better-act-fast one in return.

"Uh your Honor, we need this warrant signed. It's got plenty of probable cause." Alex said through gritted teeth.

Luckily the judge was too out of it to realize what he was signing. He scribbled his signature at the bottom. "Go Bull's-eye!" he mumbled before going back to sleep.

Casey and Alex slipped out of the room, quietly and high fived each other behind their backs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Melinda looked up when Grissom entered the morgue.

"Tell me you got something." He said to her.

"I'm sorry Gil." Melinda replied.

He leaned his head into his hands again. Worry lines were etching his face and Melinda realized that Gil Grissom was scared out of his mind.

"We're gonna find her." she comforted, pulling off her bloody gloves to pat him on the back.

"This is my fault. I should have known this would happen. He knew her. He knew she put Matheas away. I should have anticipated that he would go after her. She's not just my best CSI, she's my best friend too." He said brokenheartedly. "Do you know what it's like?"

Melinda glanced at him with sad eyes of her own. "Yes I do." She said softly. "I think I know better than anyone."

Grissom and Melinda hugged. Their years of friendship relenting everything that was on their minds and in their hearts.

_What I don't know is how he knew I loved her. _Grissom thought.

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Alex and Casey raced into the precinct waving a piece of paper.

"We got it!" Alex yelled loudly.

Immediately the detectives and Sara were standing before her.

"This gives you access to everything inside NYU." Casey explained, handing Olivia the warrant.

"Wow." She said in disbelief. "You guys are good."

Casey and Alex exchanged glances with a secret smile. "Yep." They said in unison.

Elliot rolled his eyes. "Let's get going." He said.

"I should call Grissom." Sara said uncertainly.

"No." Alex said, surprising everyone. She was the DA, not a detective and certainly not the boss of Sara.

Sara felt a flash of defensiveness. "Can I ask why not?" she asked coldly.

Alex fixed a cold stare of her own at Sara. "Because he's emotionally attached. We're not dealing with evidence. We're dealing with people in this search. I don't want him to explode at someone and anything that they say will be counted as inadmissible in court." She said patiently.

Olivia nodded. "I think we should get you and Greg to process at NYU. It'll be much more pratical."

Sara glanced from Olivia to Alex, knowing they were right. "Okay then." She said.

"I'll go too." Casey volunteered. "I think we need an ADA there just in case any of these smartasses want to pull any sly legal maneuvers."

"Let's go." Elliot said, handing Olivia her coat.

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Hope that didn't confuse anyone…trying to lesson down the details. Anyway…more on the way soon… and I'm thinking about an idea…Can you say B-A-I-T?


	10. Plan A

Chapter Ten- Plan A

Thanks to KWillows, gabiroba, soliz, DrusillaBraun, MYSTICAL PANTHER, Maggie Doyle, obsessedwithstabler, tylerhiltongrupie53, ACertainJustice, and KaydenceRei for their reviews.

I LOVE SEGEARENT HAPPY BUNNY! Sorry, outburst.

Disclaimer: I own no characters.

Author's Note: Forgive me if I don't reply all of your reviews. Lately, this site has been a little weird and it won't let me answer reviews. Just know that I'm getting them and trying to reply if the damn comp would let me.

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Casey strode into the NYU campus with Greg by her side. She was met by the principal, who was glaring at her for intruding. Olivia and Elliot were not far behind her with Warrick and Sara taking up the end.

"We have a search warrant." The ADA said in a no nonsense voice.

"Fine." He muttered, letting them in. "Knock yourself out."

"We will." Sara spoke up, smiling sweetly.

Olivia and Elliot questioned the professors, while Greg and Sara split up to examine different rooms. Sara went with Warrick while Casey followed Greg.

"We know this guy's an artist." Greg said, moving toward the art hall.

"Right." Casey replied.

"We found brown cloth beside Catherine's jacket fabric in the bushes." Greg informed her, walking into the first professor's office with his silver kit by his side.

"So if we find a brown jacket, it could be evidence?" Casey asked.

"You could make a good CSI." He teased.

She laughed. "Let's get to work."

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"Do you know this woman?" Elliot asked the philosophy professor, flashing him a picture of a smiling Catherine.

"No I don't, then again so many students come in and out, I may have never seen her."

"She's not a student." Olivia said. "She's with the Crime Lab. She's missing."

"Bummer. She's a pretty thing." He responded. "I wish I could help you."

"I think you can." Elliot said, exchanging a quick glance with Olivia. "Do you know which one of your professors uses paint?"

The professor thought for a moment. "Almost all the art professors, except the art history one. But I think Robert Smith is the one that uses it the most. Weird sorta fellow. Always keeps to himself."

"How long has he been working here?" Olivia asked suddenly, a thought popping into her head.

"Uhh…I think he moved her from Vegas a little over a week ago."

Olivia and Elliot exchanged glances.

Bingo.

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"Casey!" Olivia called as she walked toward the redhead, who was bent over Greg, trying to look at something.

"Yeah?" she asked straightening and turning to her friend.

"We got a Robert Smith. Just moved her a week ago, guess from where."

"Could it be Las Vegas?" Casey guessed.

"Got it in one." Elliot replied then turned to the spiked hair man, kneeling onto of a brown jacket. "What have you got?"

"We found brown fibers in the bushes near where Catherine was taken. I'm wondering if they match." He said.

Casey quirked an eyebrow. "And if they do?"

"Then we got our guy."

"Where is this guy anyway?" Olivia asked. "We should question him."

"I have no idea. He was supposed to be in, but something tells me he's gonna refuse to talk to us anyway." Elliot said, thinking outloud.

"I got something!" Greg suddenly shouted.

The New York team gathered around him. Casey closest to him and Elliot and Olivia right behind her.

"Strawberry blonde hair on the jacket."

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"No Robert Smith in the database." Nick announced to two crestfallen detectives and two very unhappy looking lawyers.

"Maybe he hasn't been convicted of anything." Casey said.

"Or maybe it's a false name." Alex also pointed out.

"Great another dead end." Olivia groaned

"Doesn't he have an address?" Nick asked.

"No. He gave a false one to his job, unless he lives in the middle of the Central Park." Olivia sighed.

"Damn. Doesn't this college check records?" Nick asked again.

This time Elliot answered. "I'm sure they did, but this guy has already proven he's tricky."

Munch walked into the room. "No leads?" He asked.

"No." Olivia replied, finger combing her golden brown hair. "We got nothing."

Grissom walked in to hear the last words. His heart dropped. "She's been gone for almost three days." He said quietly.

Usually at those odds, Grissom would have been looking for a body, not a person, but this wasn't just a person. This was Catherine. She was his second-in-command. His right hand. He couldn't manage without her.

"Keep looking." He commanded.

"We've got nothing." Alex pointed out, Nick coming up behind her to rub her shoulders, before she let loose that impressive lawyer temper of hers.

"I don't care keep looking." He said gruffly.

After he left, everyone else exchanged glances.

"Where do we go from here?" Casey asked.

"Bait." Olivia said slowly.

"No." Elliot said firmly.

Olivia shot him a look. "We have no choice Elliot. We're flying blind here and the longer we wait the less likely we'll find Catherine alive."

"We can't put anyone else in danger." Elliot argued back.

Everyone else remained silent. This was their argument and Olivia was the only one that could take on Elliot in the stubbornness category.

"If we don't use bait, then the next dead girl is gonna be some innocent student." Olivia said her tone on the verge of screaming.

"What if it doesn't work?" He demanded.

Olivia turned from him and rummaged through some of the files on the desk beside Nick and Alex, until she found what she wanted. She turned back to Elliot and held up five pictures of the dead women they had already found.

"Will it matter if we add a sixth girl to these?" she asked, her voice dropping lower, but speaking volumes.

Elliot couldn't look away from the horrid pictures. He couldn't say know. Careful and caring as he was, he was still a cop. He still thought like one.

"Who we gonna send?" he asked, giving in.

"Who else?" Olivia asked.

Their eyes met. They communicated without words. They were the only ones in the room now. Both of them knew the risk this job had, but both knew that Olivia was the only one that could pull it off.

"I'll tell Cragen." Elliot said slowly, through worried eyes.

"Yeah." Olivia said softly, fearing not for herself, but wondering if it was too late to save Catherine.

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Grissom was alone for the first time that day. He had run every test that existed through every fiber of evidence they had. Still nothing. All they knew was that the killer, who had Catherine, wears a brown jacket and works at NYU. Grissom knew he would not be back at NYU so looking for him from there would be pointless. This guy was too good. He had outsmarted Grissom far too many times and managed to steal Catherine right from under his nose.

He couldn't handle it. He buried his face in his hands. Catherine Willows was everything to him. Every time they worked a case together, and someone mistaken them for being married, he never denied it. It dawned on him now that neither did she. She never played the secondary role. She was always up and at them no matter what, and he was always able to trust her with anything and everything.

She was his equal, the yang to his yin. They complimented each other, and she completed him. He traced the picture in his hand. He always kept it in his wallet, but never told Catherine that. He highly doubt she even knew he had the picture. It was one of her and Lindsay at last year's softball game between the graveyard shift and the dayshift. Catherine was hoisting Lindsay on her shoulders after they had won the game 14 to three. Lindsay was beaming, and Catherine was laughing. It was one of Grissom's favorite pictures.

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It was so cold. Catherine noted as she forced herself awake. Her head spun constantly and she had no doubt that she had a concussion. Her wrists were still bleeding, her bonds were way too tight. She turned to note her surroundings a little more clearly. There were no windows, only a door across from her. She struggled toward it. Facing her back to it, she tried the knob with her tied hands. Just as she thought, it was locked.

_Damn_ She thought.

Suddenly it was thrown open and Catherine was knocked off her feet and into a pile on the floor. Robert Smith entered.

"Well my pretty kitty, looks like it's still just you and me." He said, moving closer to her as she shrank away.

"But of course, your friends are looking for you, but there are a few I don't recognize." He said, not expecting an answer. "A red head, and by that I don't mean a strawberry blonde, I mean a true redhead. Who is she?"

Catherine looked away and tried to edge away from his touch. He didn't seem to notice.

"A then there's a blonde. I don't recognize her either. She's pretty. She's got your eyes. And then those two detectives. Old guy. He seems like the type to get on anybody's nerves and that other guy, looks like he was in narcotics. I recognize the type. Tell me about them.

Catherine didn't reply. She glared back at him defiantly. She would not tell him anything that would help him evade justice. He grew angry.

He kicked her hard in the stomach, and she doubled over in pain.

"Tell me who they are!" He yelled at her, wrenching her head back by grabbing her hair.

She didn't say a word. He lost it again. He kicked her over and over again in the stomach. She let out soft cry, a cross between a whimper and the loudest scream she could manage in her state. He stopped and knelt down beside her, a wicked glint in his eye.

He reached over to stroke Catherine's hair. "I'm curious to know how much longer it takes Mr. Grissom to find you, because if he doesn't soon. All he may find is your corpse."

Smith wrapped a hand around Catherine's throat and squeezed slightly, making Catherine gasp. "It was would be so easy. Just like the others." He murmured in her ear.

Then he let her go. "Three more days until the anniversary of my first kill. Three days for you to live Catherine Willows." He said, shutting and locking the door.

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I suck at writing from the mental point of the bad guys. I don't know why, but I know I have to-to really provide the kicker for this story, so if the bad guy part was a little sketchy forgive me and provide me with some ideas. I'm not good at thinking up ideas for torture. Lol. Please give me ideas! Enjoy!


	11. Confessions Before Disaster

Chapter Eleven- Confessions

Thanks to Lady Heather, gabiroba, KWillows, DrusillaBraun, soliz, Lady arcane, Maggie Doyle, tough cookie, Lily-Starbuck, typerhiltongrupie53, obsessedwithstabler, and KaydenRei.

Lol. Only you would have a mental breakdown, boi.

Special thanks to DrusillaBraun, who gave me a few ideas for this story. Thanks so much!

Disclaimer: I own no characters, from SVU or CSI.

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"No." Grissom said after a long pause.

"Why not?" Olivia wanted to know.

She sat beside Elliot, half leaning on her desk. The entire squad was there, watching, waiting, wondering what their next plan of action was. His hand was on her arm, in a way of support and of concern. He agreed with Grissom, but knew they had no choice.

"I can't let you put your life on the line Olivia." Grissom said slowly. "Catherine would never forgive me if you got hurt. She always put others' lives before her own and I can't go against her wishes when I know what they are."

Nick gaped at Grissom, trying desperately to keep his temper in check. Alex slipped her ahnd through his and gave it a gentle squeeze. He responded with one in return, and when he spoke, he had iron control over his voice.

"How the hell can you say that?"

Grissom looked at Nick with saddened eyes. "You know Catherine. If she thinks something would put someone's life in danger; she wouldn't take the chance." He said with grief in his voice.

Grissom knew this was their only chance, but he also had an obligation, not just to society, but to Catherine's wishes. She would never forgive him, if he allowed a bait situation where someone could get hurt.

Olivia saw red. "Seriously Grissom! If we don't move now, she's gonna be dead. And when she is, this psychopath is just gonna go after someone else who has no idea what's coming!" She ranted at him. "Don't you think it's much better for me to go in, knowing how to protect myself than a college student who has no idea what even hit her?"

Nick wasn't much better at controlling his temper anymore, after Grissom's words. He slipped his hand out of Alex's grasp and slammed his fists down on the table in front of Grissom. Alex jumped, but didn't give another sign of startlement.

"How can you just sit there and do nothing?" he demanded to know, his voice harsh and cold. "Catherine could be dying out there, or worse. How can you not say yes to this? Olivia's given you every reason to say yes and you're just not listening. Do you even care?"

Grissom was silent. He stared at Nick after the last sentence. Stared at him long and hard. Abruptly he stood up and walked out of the room.

Nick was breathing hard from his temper tantrum. Alex put a hand on his shoulder, calming him. He laid a hand on hers. Alex didn't speak. She didn't feel that in Nick's state that she should tell him that she had caught a glimpse of tears sparkling in Grissom's eyes.

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Cragen didn't like the tension. He didn't like the situation even more. He didn't want Olivia to be the bait in this case. She was his daughter and even Cragen could tell that she was something special to Elliot and important to the whole team. He rubbed his bald head. He had no choice. Olivia was the best choice for the job. She was resourceful, street smart, and a tough cop. His alternatives were to send either the browned-headed CSI, or one of his other detectives.

He carefully thought out his options. Being the captain, it was his job. First he covered the rookie cops. Bad idea no doubt. They were untrained, easily excited, and very likely to blow their cover due to lack of experience. The results could be disastrous. The CSI was out of the question. The perp knew her and would immediately know that it was a trap.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Casey. He knew both the lawyers in the room were tough, but they were lawyers, not cops. They knew books and law terms, not how to fool a perp. Casey was a great shot, but she was still not a detective, nor could she compete with Olivia in her aim.

Melinda was his second best option. She knew forensics. She could really analyze things, but that the problem was she was still not a cop. She couldn't do what cops could do, or have the training in particularly dangerous situations. Cragen also did not want to lose his best coroner to an insane perp.

Olivia was the only option.

"I'm authorizing it." He said slowly. "In case we haven't noticed. Grissom is Vegas. I'm Manhattan and right now, we're in Manhattan.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elliot didn't like this. He intended to tell Olivia so. They were on their way to the tech lab to pick up a wire for Olivia, when she went in that night.

"Olivia, we need to talk." Elliot said, grabbing her arm and pulling her into one of the empty rooms.

He really had no idea who's office it was, but it was there and he needed it at the moment.

Olivia willingly followed.

"Yeah?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

He felt tongue tied, unable to speak. Undercover jobs were especially risky. Elliot knew the dangers and Olivia's chances for survival. He didn't like the odds. He also had something to get out of his system before she went in. He knew he had no control over her, or else he wouldn't let the woman he loved do this. But she was her own woman, and if her mind was made up. It was impossible to change it.

"Olivia, we need to talk about us." He said slowly.

She raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware there was an us, El." She replied softly.

Elliot looked at her with hopeful eyes. "What if we tried to make an us?" he asked, taking her hand in his.

"I don't know." Olivia said cautiously. She didn't want to mess upt he best thing she ever had with Elliot.

Elliot couldn't let her walk into a battlefield without him wearing his feelings for her on his sleeve. He forced himself to tell her.

"Olivia, I love you." He said hesitantly. "I have for a while. At first when you walked into the squad room, I saw a hot girl, not a cop and thought it was a bad thing that I was assigned with a girl. But you showed me something. You showed me that I can't judge a book by its cover. You are just amazing, Olivia. The best cop I know and everyday I fall in love with you a little bit more."

He reached for her hand. Olivia found herself being drawn to him.

"You're walking into God knows what, Olivia. I want you to know how I feel. Every time I turn around, it's like I'm losing someone I care about. I don't want you to be one of them. I don't want anything to happen to you, but on this job, I can never be sure. I want to make sure that before you go in, before you put your life on the line. You know that you matter to me more than anything else in the world."

Olivia felt wetness in her eyes. "Why are you saying this now?" she asked softly, as Elliot put his arms around her.

Elliot heaved a heavy sigh. "Because if something goes wrong tonight, I may never have the chance to tell you."

Olivia was silent; she couldn't believe what she what she was hearing. Ever since they had started working together, she had admired Elliot. He was a damn good cop, but he was caring even with his toughness. She had fallen in love with him sometime afterward. Every time she went out with someone, she always saw his face in her mind. She couldn't find the words to say.

Elliot mistook her silence for rejection. It was the second time. The last time had ended up in disaster, he had never even thought he would try it again. He cleared his throat.

"It's okay if you don't feel the same way." He said looking at his shoes. "I understand."

"No." Olivia spoke up. She leaned in and gently graced his lips with hers. "I feel the same. I love you, Elliot."

With that, she was in his arms and his hands were tangled in her golden brown hair. She was against him with her arms around his neck. No space between them. Pretty soon, she was up against the wall with Elliot against her, kissing her from her neck to her lips. She let out a soft moan of pleasure, running her hands down his back. He felt a shiver shoot down his spine, and he kissed her harder, feeling a passion he never felt with anyone before.

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Gil Grissom was a broken man. At times like these, he would turn to Catherine for help and guidance. He sat alone on the curb of the police precinct, ignoring the strange looks people were giving him. He didn't care. He wanted Catherine back so much, but he knew her deepest desires and her way of doing things. Sending Olivia in was something Catherine would have never done. Despite the danger she was in, Grissom had to respect that. In their field, they spent most of their time looking for bodies, and sometimes, doing things the way the victim would have wanted, is the only thing left they could do for the victims, besides catch their killer.

Grissom didn't understand what he was feeling for the woman. No law, no science, could describe it. He couldn't find his symptoms in any textbook or reference. It pained him as much as it enthralled him. He didn't know what it was, or if it was even a disease. All he knew was that he liked it, as much as he hated it. Nick's words had cut deep into him. Grissom had dried his tears, but the impact of the words was still tearing him to pieces.

His mind drifted to a memory of a conversation or more like a fight he and Catherine had had. It wasn't a big deal to them anymore, in fact he now found it a little amusing.

Flashback

Catherine had gotten in a little trouble by getting personal on a case and not telling him their suspect was a date she had had the night before. He had been reprimanding her when she said something that always followed him around.

"Grissom yeah I should be just like you, alone in my hermetically-sealed condo, watching Discovery on the big screen. Working on genius-level crossword puzzles. No relationships. But no chance one'll slop over into a case. Right, I want to be just like you." She had said sarcastically.

To which Grissom had replied, "Technically, it's a townhouse. And the crosswords are advanced, not genius. But you're right, I'm deficient in a lot of ways, but I never screw up one of my cases with personal stuff."

He hadn't seen this coming, thinking he had made a good argument, but Catherine had just stared at him with an exasperated look on her face.

"Grissom, what personal stuff?"

Reality

"She's not dead," he voiced out loud, firmly. "If she was, I would know."

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Catherine pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. She felt exposed. Tears were drifting down her cheeks. Never in her life did she expect to be hurt and violated in so many ways. She wanted to crawl in a hole and die there. She had never felt so much pain. Eddie had never treated her well, but nothing was like what Smith had just put her through.

She broke into a fresh torrent of tears. He had come in and taken her secrets, the things that were her own. He was finished with her for the moment, but she knew he would be back. Part was her was no longer believing that Grissom would come for her. She wondered if he would find her body the way she had found all the other victims'. Would he look at her corpse as unemotionally as the way he looks at all the others? She trembled. They said rape was as bad as death. Catherine had heard that from the lips of Sara and from Sofia. _They were wrong._ She thought. _It's worse. _

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Warrick flicked on his cell phone. "Hey Arch. I need a favor."

"Watcha need?" a statically voice came over the phone.

"Can you trace a GPS from the Vegas lab?" he asked, not noticing a brilliant red head coming to stand in the doorway.

"Yeah why?" Archie asked, curious.

"We may need you." Warrick said.

"I'll be here."

"Great."

A click and Warrick turned to face a curious looking red headed ADA.

"Who was that?" she asked.

Warrick was taken back for a moment. Casey was a pretty girl, but he never expected her to be so outspoke and approach him with guns blazing.

"Well I'm just calling for some technological back up in case we need it." He said.

Casey's eyes narrowed. Putting her friend's life in danger was not something she was fond of.

"Well we need it?" she asked without a hint of emotion in her voice.

"Better safe than sorry."

She nodded, seemingly satisfied. Without another word, she swept of the room, calling back. "Alex and I are gonna get his case ready. Make sure you don't do anything that can get this undercover job thrown out of court."

Warrick watched her go, shaking his head slightly. Before coming to Manhattan, he had hated lawyers, but in the short time he had been here, he had met two of them that he didn't have a problem with. One of them was dating his best mate. The other he had yet to figure out. He had a slight thing for her, but he knew so did Greg. Greg was never one to be very subtle with his emotions. Casey may not have noticed, but Warrick had. He wondered who would pay out in the end. With a smirk, he went and started to set up Olivia's GPS system.

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"I can't believe Olivia's gonna go through with this." Alex sighed, sitting beside Nick, who was narrowing down the field of potential suspects and the relative area Olivia would be in.

"She's a brave woman for doing this." Nick mused.

Alex smiled. "She is." She took a soft breath. "Babe, do me a favor."

Nick scooted closer. "Anything." He replied.

"Take him a alive and let me and Casey hang him in court."

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Author's Note

Well there's the next chapter. I promise the next on is when Olivia goes in. Do I see that Greg has some competition:GASP: Who thinks who should get the redhead? Huh? OR maybe somebody completely different? Tell me your ideas on the pairing and I'll put in which ones I like the best.

I tried my best to include a little bit of everyone in this chapter and still keep it organized. I really like that flashback, since it was actually in CSI, so I just had to add it in there. I also really liked that end part about what Alex said about she and Casey wanting their turn at him.

Tell me what you guys liked and didn't like. Constructive criticism is always good.

Mwah Mwah! Lotsa luvness for all my readers and reviewers! Thanks!


	12. Technical Issues

Chapter Twelve- Technical Problems

Thanks to Lily-Starbuck, fallinidentity, tylerhiltongrupie53, obsessedwithstabler, cgfan, Isabel Juno, KWillows, DrusillaBraun, Maggie Doyle, ACertainJustice, myfairlady, csiwillows, and soliz for their reviews.

Sergeant…seriously man…what is it with you and mental break downs?

Disclaimer: I love both these shows, but why can't I own them too?

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"You ready?" Elliot asked softly in the squad car as the two of them drove toward the site where Catherine had been kidnapped.

Olivia drew a sharp intake of breath. "As ready as I'll ever be." She said only slightly nervous.

Olivia Benson wasn't worried about her own safety, but she knew in a case like this, if she screwed up or made even the slightest error, lives could be lost. She fingered a small string bracelet on her wrist.

Flashback

Olivia had been in the squad room, getting ready for this undercover job.

"Here. We can trace your location through satellite at all times if you keep this on." Warrick said, handing her a microscopic chip.

Olivia clipped it to the back of her ear. "Earpiece?" she asked, looking up.

Warrick shook his head. "Too risky. If he hears any of that static…case over before it even begins."

Olivia nodded. "Right."

She was suddenly hit from behind. She bent forward to accept the weight. A little blonde head came into Warrick's view.

"Are you gonna find Mommy?" Lindsay Willows asked looking at Olivia with blue eyes much like her mother's.

"I'm gonna try sweetie." Olivia said gently.

Lindsay looked up at Olivia with pleading eyes. She slipped something off her wrist. It was a thin sliver bracelet with the initials LW two small icons on the chain. She handed it to Olivia.

"Mommy gave me that lucky bracelet. She said no matter where I was she would be able to find me." Lindsay said with a small smile. Her mother always worried about her.

Olivia ruffled Lindsay's hair. "Thank you honey. I'll find your mother. You have my word."

Lindsay seemed satisfied. She ran out of the room, her blonde hair bouncing behind her.

"Cute isn't she?" Warrick asked with a slight smile on his face.

"Very." Olivia replied, turning back to the case before them.

Warrick glanced at the detective, wondering if this woman really had the guts to do this.

"Liv?" Came Elliot's voice at the door. "You're on."

Olivia smirked slightly. "Let's party." She said with more confidence than she was feeling.

End Flashback

Elliot gave her hand a squeeze and then a kiss on the cheek, trying to keep their relationship under the wraps in front of Cragen. "Be careful." He whispered in her ear.

"Always." She replied softly. Then she was gone, walking along campus like any other college student.

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The SVU unit and the CSI team were all in a huge van, parked not far from where they had dropped off Olivia. Even the DA's were present, there for moral support. Elliot was counting down the time frame and the possibilities of something going wrong over and over again in his head, trying to ease his fear, but only managing to worry himself even more. Warrick and Nick were working as fast as they could, checking the tracking system making sure, nothing electronic was going to give them problems. They didn't like the odds as it was. Casey and Alex were talking quietly in the corner, working on their opening argument with the evidence they had already obtained.

"We're all set." Nick announced a moment later, with a slightly stronger southern twang in his voice than usual. It seemed to get stronger as he got more nervous.

Alex gave him a slight smile, before turning back to Casey.

Elliot wringed his hands. "Let's hope nothing goes wrong."

Grissom sat in the front seat, not saying anything. He knew his team was perfectly capable in eliminating as many unstable factors as they humanly could. His own mind was a mess of worry, fear, and nerves. Within that combination there ws a trace of excitement. He had couldn't wait to get Catherine back, if everything went right. He knew what he had to do. He couldn't lock away his feelings forever. He could barely lock away his feelings for the time being.

"Catherine, come back to me." He whispered softly under his breath.

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Catherine whimpered in pain softly. She hated being broken in the few times that she had been in her life. The man she had come to hate with a passion kissed her on the lips as she prayed for an end or death, whichever. She didn't care anymore. She just wanted it to be over. Smith kissed her again and walked out of the room, leaving her lying on the floor, torn and broken. Tears filled her eyes, but didn't leave them. She felt weak and found it impossible to stand. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep the small hope in her heart that Grissom would find her.

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Olivia walked back toward the former crime scene where Catherine had been taken. This man no doubt liked to hunt in the same place. She would find out why later. Her sharp heard a soft rustle of leaves behind her and willed herself not to turn around. The perp was expecting an unwary college student, not a trained cop, who noticed things that most people wouldn't. She felt a hand clamp over her mouth.

_Here we go. _She thought before she felt the hit on the back of her head and she slumped to the ground.

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Back in the van, Olivia's movements suddenly became faster. Clear sign she wasn't walking anymore.

"We've made contact." Nick announced, sitting down at a computer screen and staring at the beeping signals.

Grissom moved to the back of the van and stood beside him. Elliot eased the car into motion and they slowly began to trail the dot on a map of Manhattan.

"Don't you dare lose them, Nick." Grissom said softly to his CSI. "This is the only way to find Catherine."

Nick nodded solemnly. "I won't." he said with determination.

"I know." Grissom replied.

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Smith drove an hour, taking various turns in random directions, making sure no one was following them. He had thrown Olivia's cell phone out the window already. He finally headed back toward his hideout and dragged Olivia's limp body in, tossing her into the same room as Catherine.

Catherine looked up as the door opened, but jumped back as something as tossed carelessly into the room. It took her a moment in the dark, but she realized it was a human. She moved toward the still form, her law enforcement protective instinct kicking in, despite her weakened state.

"Hey." She said softly, moving to support the woman's head. "Wake up."

Olivia groaned but opened her eyes. "Catherine?" she asked.

Catherine's eyes grew wide. "Olivia?" she stammered.

Olivia forced herself up to a sitting position and rubbed her head. "Ouch." She muttered. Then it clicked. "Holy crap you're alive."

Catherine nodded, "In the bruised and aching flesh." She muttered softly.

Olivia could barely make out the outline Catherine the dark, but it seemed to Olivia that she was okay. That is physically for the most part. She moved her hand to support her weight better. Her hand touched something wet. Instinctively she moved her other hand to the back of her skull. No blood. She turned to face Catherine in the darkness.

"What did he do to you?" she asked gently.

Catherine turned away. "Nothing." She muttered, not really wanting anyone to know about what had happened.

Olivia moved closer. "Catherine, we have to know. This is the only way we can get this guy in court."

Catherine felt tears fill her eyes once again and for once was grateful for the darkness. "He just did what he did to the other girls." She said softly, not wanting to reveal detail to the torture she had been subject to.

Luckily, Olivia had been a detective long enough to know not to push it at the moment. She dropped it.

Olivia wrapped her arm around Catherine's shoulders. "We're gonna get you outta here. That I can promise. You're daughter wants to see you." She comforted.

"Yeah, Lindsay." Catherine said softly as a sad smile crossed her face. "Lindsay." Her mind also drifted to another person. Someone she wanted desperately to see one last time before she could ever even think about giving up.

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The van had trailed the perp's car for about forty five minutes before losing them.

"Uh we have a technical malfunction." Greg pointed out.

"Where is the damn signal?" Elliot demanded, slamming a fist against the side of the car, making everyone jump.

Grissom wasn't fairing much better in controlling his temper. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?" he yelled at Nick and Warrick.

Nick and Warrick were rapidly typing on keys while Greg was yelling into the phone to one of the techs back at the police station.

"I don't know!" Warrick yelled. "It was standard police equipment. Always worked before."

"WELL IT'S NOT WORKING NOW!" Elliot roared.

Alex flinched. His tone was not making anything better. She moved out of her corner and placed a gentle hand on this shoulder.

"Elliot calm down. You hollering is not gonna make anything better." She reasoned.

Elliot was breathing hard, but he calmed down at his 'sister's' words.

Greg clicked off the phone. "Looks like they entered a government flight testing zone. The signals from all over the place clash here, making it impossible for our little trackers to obtain signal."

Grissom felt like the wind was just knocked out of him. His only hope had been in his grasp and just like that, it had slipped away. Gil Grissom had always been a pessimistic man, but this time he wondered if he could even survive without Catherine by his side. Deep down he knew the answer was no. Not a chance.

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Warrick felt like it was his turn to step up to the plate. "Get in there. Head to the last known location they were, and we can go from there. I'm gonna call Archie and see what he and I can work out from here."

The team did not feel an ease from these words, but his plan was the best they had so far. None of them voiced it outloud, but all were wondering if they would ever see the two women that were the heart of their teams ever again.

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Sorry this update took so long. I've been in a bit of a pickle.


	13. Questions Afterward

Chapter Thirteen- Questions Afterward

Thanks to cgfan, KWillows, csiwillows, DrusillaBraun, FoxyWombat, LizzieH1313, CocaCola1052, fallinidentity, ACertainJustice, and obsessedwithstabler for their reviews!

Special thanks to Sergeant Happy Bunny…in case you don't know. I didn't write this update by myself. He helped me and we made a game out of it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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"Archie we lost Catherine." He said into his cell phone.

He heard frantic typing of keys.

"I can pull up her last known location, but other than that you're gonna have to go by what the evidence's been telling you from the other bodies." He said, as an image showed up on Warrick's screen.

Warrick looked closely. "Archie can't you bounce it off another network or something?"

"I can try, but I can't guarantee it'll work."

"Don't matter. We need a miracle."

"I think I just got you a mini one." The lab tech replied.

Warrick smiled a little when he got the signal back. "Olivia's two blocks from here. Step on it."

Greg slammed his foot down on the gas and they surged forward.

"Makes sense they're here." Nick observed.

Elliot glanced at him, his eyes worried, but relatively calm…for the time being.

"What do you mean?"

"It's secluded, but relatively close to civilization. It's so obvious that it's unobvious." Grissom answered for him, looking older than he ever had.

Warrick motioned for Greg to stop the van.

"The signal's in that warehouse," he said, pointing to an old abandoned building about half a block away.

Elliot would have sprang out of the van immediately had Alex not held on to him.

"Calm down Elliot. Going in there guns blazing won't help Catherine or Olivia." She said.

He paused, letting all the others get their guns ready as Alex handed him a bullet proof vest with an you-better-not-get-yourself-killed look.

He flashed her a quick smile and was gone. Alex turned to Nick who was following him. Her eyes said it all, and so did his. Quick kiss and he was gone as well, leaving Alex wringing her hands with cold and worry.

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He was with them. Catherine was weak at this point. He had broken her already. Now it was down to the other girl.

"Your time's out darling." He said to her, grabbing her by the arm. Olivia tried to interfere, but was thrown across the room.

Catherine struggled. Olivia lay unconscious and as she struggled she felt the outline of a gun in his pocket. Fear filled her body. She struggled harder. He lost his temper and slammed her against the wall. She slumped to the ground just as Olivia tackled him from one side. They went down wrestling. Olivia for the gun. The perp for control. He managed to throw her off of him and smiled at her from on top of her. He ran his fingers through her hair, but stopped when her golden brown locks became tangled around something. He moved his hand to behind her ear. The feeling of cold metal touched his hand. He retracked his hand to find a shiny metal disc in his palm.

"Clever." He said with a sick smile. Then he slammed his foot down on it. "Let's see if your friends can find us now, Detective."

Olivia stole a glance at Catherine. She wasn't moving and blood was pooling out of a nasty head wound. Smith pulled out a shiny knife from his back pocket.

"I was expecting her to die first, but you're the one stupid enough to think you can trick me." He said coldly, holding the knife so that she could see her own wild-eyed expression in the reflection on the blade.

He smiled knowing what she saw. A deer caught in the headlights seconds before it would full the momentum of a manmade machine.

She screamed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nick and Elliot were side by side with Sara and Grissom right behind them, watching their backs. It all came down to this moment. Elliot motioned for Grissom to come forward, which he did, gun pointed to the ground. Halfway through they split. Sara and Nick to the left, Elliot and Grissom to the left. Silently they moved throughout the building…canvassing it. Coming closer to what they came for.

A scream broke out through the silence.

Grissom surged forward bursting through a door at the end of the corridor. Elliot was right at his heels. Running as if their lives depended on it.

Catherine had her back toward them, laying completely still on her side. Blood was pouring out of a head wound and forming into puddles on the cold cement floor.

"Freeze!" Elliot yelled at the man standing before her. "NYPD!"

He turned around and Elliot froze. His arm was wrapped around Olivia's neck, holding a shiny silver barrel to her head while blood trickled down her neck.

"Drop the gun or her brains get blown out." He said almost calmly.

""Elliot don't you dare drop that that gun!" Olivia screamed at him. "You do we're all dead!"

He covered her mouth so silence her.

Elliot slowly lowered his gun to the floor, while Grissom did the same. Robert Smith gave him another sick smile.

"Now back up slowly." He ordered.

Grissom's eyes were latched onto the fallen form behind Smith. He could see a slight rise and fall but he couldn't be sure. Was he imagining that Catherine was still alive, because he so desperately wanted her to be?

Elliot's eyes were completely focused on Olivia's. They were talking without words. In sync with each other completely. Mind and soul. Tears filled both their eyes, knowing the risk of their plan. It had to work. She fell limp against her captor. In surprise, his grip loosened. She ducked to her left just as Elliot drew a spare gun from his back pocket. A loud blast. Olivia squeezed her eyes shut as she was showered with brains and blood. A figure pushed past Elliot.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Grissom knelt down beside Catherine, checking her pulse. It was weak, but it was there.

"Stay with me." He whispered softly. "Stay with me. I'm begging you."

He enveloped her in his arms. Holding her close. She was cold and he wrapped his jacket around her.

Her eyes opened and her lips moved but no sound came out. But those clear sapphire eyes told him everything he needed to know.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Behind them, they were caught in an embrace. Tears out of both their eyes. Tears of relief, and aftermath of pent up frustrations, fear, and worry.

"I love you." He whispered, intertwining his fingers with her hair.

She was captured in his warmth. He gave her security and she had been so afraid that she was going to lose it. She nestled her face into his neck, muffling her answer. Three words that would never sound the same to her ever again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They heard the gunshot. Everyone… inside and out.

Alex dove for her cell phone. "I got a gunshot at 453 Lockwood Street. Harlem. I need am ambulance ASAP and if you don't put a rush on it I'm gonna prosecute you and put you away for twenty years of your life!" She yelled into the phone.

Casey was already out the door. Greg at her heels, gun drawn.

"Casey!" He yelled, grabbing her arm.

"Liv's in there!" she yelled back, struggling against his grip.

"I know but we can't risk you getting hurt." He argued back. He pulled her into him and whispered. "It's okay. She'll be fine. You stay here."

She resisted and opened her mouth to argue, but she knew better. She had to stay. Sadly she was a lawyer, she couldn't barge into a crime scene with no police training.

"Be careful." She said, surprising herself by giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Always." The young usually goofy CSI was serious. Then he headed into the dark building gun drawn.

The redhead made her way back to the truck. The others were staring at screens, yelling into two-way radios. Alex sat in the corner, yelling at the 991 operator. Casey went to her and gently pulled the phone from her grasp.

"Easy Alex. They're on their way. The sirens are close."

Alex paused to catch her breath. Casey was right. They were close and when they pulled up, Warrick surged forward to lead them in the right direction.

All the lawyers could do was pray that everyone they cared about would come back to them safely.

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Mercy Hospital

Grissom had his head down in his hands. The bright letters on the wall still said surgery. Catherine was in the ER. The head wound was nasty and by the time she had reached the hospital she had been shivering and crying out his name in pain. All he could do now was wait. Wait for an end or a beginning, at the moment he had no way of knowing. _I can't do this again_. He said to himself, thinking of all the people who had left him in the past. He didn't want to add Catherine to the list of the people who left without saying good-bye.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Olivia please just let them check you over?" Elliot begged as Olivia fought the doctors to get away from her tooth and nail.

She had changed out of her bloody shirt and jeans and into a well fitted blouse and black slacks.

"I'm fine. It's just a scratch." She argued back.

Elliot placed a hand on her shoulder. "For me?"

She gave in. She could never deny him when he asked her that way. "Fine."

They came at her with needles.

"AH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She screamed.

Greg pulled down a doctor mask. "Psych." He said, laughing at her expression.

"Greg!" Olivia and Elliot yelled.

"Oh shit…" Greg mumbled as he sped out of the room, with Olivia racing after him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alex's eyes were distant. Her face didn't show it, but Nick could easily tell something was bothering her.

"Hey you…what's up?" He asked in that soft southern country boy twang that sent a shiver down her spine.

"Nothing. It's just….forget it." She said.

Nick met her eyes. "I won't."

"It's just Smith died. I wanted to hang his ass in court and make him pay for what he did." She blurted out.

"Maybe he did get what he deserved."

"Death was the easy way out for him. I would have put him in jail for the rest of his life and then stuck the needle in his arm myself." She said bitterly.

"Is it good for you to be so bitter?" He asked softly, tilting his head to one side.

She looked back at him. "Nicky, I've learned the hard way not to be naïve about things. We win a case, we get a perp off the streets, but in the end we still lose."

Nick couldn't argue with that. "At least now we know he'll never hurt anyone else."

Alex agreed. "Not seeing him convicted for what he did may not mean closure for his earlier victims though."

Nick squeezed her hand. "Then you're going to have to tell them how it happened. Perhaps the evidence will be enough to cover the grounds of a confession."

She kissed him on the cheek, but said. "Not a chance."

She stood up to go and talk with Casey about contacting the families of the former victims. She paused in the doorway.

"Since the case is over, I guess you'll be heading back to Vegas." She said softly, sadly.

Nick looked down at the floor, anywhere but the sad blue eyes that he knew would be looking back at him.

"I don't know."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you always this cynical?" she asked.

"Are you always this annoying?" he asked.

Back and forth they went. It only started with Munch saying a comment about government conspiracies to mess up all forms of communication in the world. Sara thought it was retarded and she told him so.

"I know lots of people who don't find me annoying." She retorted.

"The ones that are threatened or bribed don't count." He said with a grin.

She made a face. John Munch was the first man she could not outtalk. Perhaps that was just as well.

Fin saw this exchanged and shook his head. A thought of Sara and Munch having kids crossed his mind. It scared him. The child would be setting up protests against the government by the time he was two and the combination of both the CSI and the detective's nature were not at all appealing to Fin.

"Lord, help me if they get married."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"How is she?" Warrick asked, handing Grissom a cup of coffee.

"Don't know yet." He said, taking it and cradling in his hands, not drinking.

He looked like hell and he knew it. The light went off on the big surgery sign. A doctor emerged.

"She crashed twice." He said softly.

Grissom drew in a sharp intake of breath, grief in his eyes. The doctor broke into a smile.

"But she made it. Either she's deadly stubborn, or she's got something to live for." He said.

Grissom felt himself smiling as well. _Thank God_. He thought. _Thank God. _

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A few more chapters and this one's done! I'm sorry to not have a trial scene with this. Maybe I'll write a fic starring the ADAs. Who would read it though?


	14. Closing Statements

Chapter Fourteen- Closing Statements

Thanks to D.J. scales, Picard's Angel, fallinidentity, obsessedwithstabler, ACertainJustice, Jacklyn, DrusillaBraun, FoxyWombat, myfairlady, Isabel Juno, and Callisto Insanity's Angel for reviews!

Sergeant…lol…it's only cause there were so many words and you wrote barely a paragraph.

Disclaimer: I own nothing from either of the two shows.

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"How ya feeling?" Grissom asked, slipping into Catherine's room.

She was awake after sleeping for three days. He was so proud of her. She had pulled through despite the odds against her.

"Groggy." She replied rubbing her forehead. Her eyes suddenly snapped up in attention.

"Smith?"

"Dead" Grissom replied, sitting down beside her on the bed.

"Bastard." She muttered. "He deserved worse."

Alex knocked on the door and poked her blonde head in. "Morning, Catherine. How are you feeling?" She asked, sincerely concerned.

"Groggy." Catherine said again with a slight smile.

Olivia entered right behind Alex. Catherine raised an eyebrow.

"I'm guessing this isn't just a friendly visit." She said, starting to sit up.

Olivia grinned. "Of course, but since when do we workaholics not intertwine work with pleasure?"

Catherine chuckled, bringing a smile to Grissom's face. It was good to hear her start becoming more like herself. When he had brought her out of her hellhole, she had been crying, screaming and when she was sleeping she would routinely cry out from nightmares. Grissom desperately hoped that things would be okay now that she knew Smith would never come after her again.

Alex pulled up a chair while Olivia pulled out a notepad.

"We just need to get your statement." Olivia said slowly. "It's okay if you need to take a break or something, because this is just so we can prove to the shooting board that Elliot shooting the gun about five times in the chest was justified."

Catherine's eyes went dark. She didn't want to relive everything all over again. She couldn't. Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. Grissom had seen the scars on her. The ones on her legs up to her stomach so he knew the trauma she must have endured. Olivia sat down beside her and took her hand. Her warm brown eyes locking on Catherine's frightened blue ones.

"Cath…I know it hurts. I've been there too. Maybe not as long as you so I can't compare, but this is the only way to get through it. You don't have to go through a trial, this is just so they don't take away Elliot's badge for using excessive force." She explained. "Just describe the ending as best as you can remember it. We don't need the details. In time those wounds will heal."

Catherine slowly nodded. "Okay…" she whispered softly. She glanced at the two women and then at Grissom who gently reached for her hand, clasping it in his own, reassuring her that he would be there to carry her through.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, Alex emerged from the room. Olivia had stayed to offer Catherine some comfort. Just as Lindsay rushed in as well. The little girl would probably be the best therapy for the CSI. Alex was not a rape crisis cop…she didn't have the finesse. Nick was waiting for her.

"How is she?" he asked.

Alex sighed. "How do you think she is? Traumatized. If I could I would kill the bastard myself. He practically tortured and raped her for four days straight." Alex said, barely able to contain her growing temper.

He rubbed her shoulders. "Shhhh…" he soothed.

Alex wasn't ready to calm down quite yet. "Olivia's hurting too. I don't think the extent of the damages Smith caused is visible to the naked eye, but I'm her best friend. I can see further. Liv's hurting too, but she won't admit it." Alex said, sounding worn.

Nick spun her so that she looked him in the eye. "Alex, Olivia's strong. Catherine's strong. They'll get over it. Olivia may already be on her way to recovery. I saw the way the she and Elliot communicated. She's tough. She won't anyone especially not Robert Smith break her." he said.

"As for Catherine, she's got Grissom. In more ways than one."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elliot was almost asleep on the couch when there was a knock on his door. He opened it to find Olivia standing before him.

He moved back to let her in and was surprised when she just threw herself into his arms and cried. He rubbed her back and maneuvered her toward the living room.

"Liv…shhh…what is it?" Elliot asked gently.

_I'm not always strong_

_Sometimes I'm even wrong_

_But I win when I choose_

_And I can't stand to lose_

Olivia looked him with those chocolate brown eyes and Elliot felt himself melt into a puddle.

"I don't know. I just kept thinking about how it could've gone down with Smith." She said, her thoughts floating in the air. "I keep thinking that what if we hadn't had that connection? What if only one of us made it out alive?"

Elliot sucked in a breath. He knew this was coming. Olivia was strong and probably wise too, but every now and then, she needed him to be the rock for her to lean on.

_But I can't always be_

_The rock that you see_

_When the nights get too long_

_And I just can't go on_

He held her close and said quietly. "Liv, we have that connection for a reason. Not just as partner, but as friends." He leaned in and kissed her. "Now something more. No matter what happens we will always have that connection. You and me Olivia because love goes further than words and touches, it goes down to the very center of both of us. That's why we can communicate telepathically. That's why when there's a dangerous situation in front of us, we always get out of it together."

_The woman in me_

_Needs you to be_

_The man in the my arms_

_To hold tenderly_

_Cause I'm a woman in love_

_And it's you I run to_

_Yeah the woman in me_

_Needs the man in you_

They stayed like that all night. Tangled in each other. Sharing stories, touches, kisses, all the things that they thought they would never share. Olivia's fears were forgotten, while Elliot's previous heartbreaks were left behind. All that matter was closing the distance between them.

_When the world wants too much_

_And it feels cold and out of touch_

_Oh it's a beautiful place_

_When you kiss my face_

Olivia finally found the one she was meant to be with. After one disastrous date after another, she finally found her resting place, her welcome shore. He had always been in front of her, why did it take her so long? She smiled to herself. _What you're looking for is always in the last place you look. _

_The woman in me_

_Needs you to be_

_The man in my arms_

_To hold tenderly_

_Cause I'm a woman in love_

_And it's you I run to_

_Yeah the woman in me_

_Needs the man in you_

Elliot was suddenly grateful for his divorce. It had been messy, but it had opened the gate for him to run after one woman he had always wanted. Now she was in his arms and he could not ask for more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey Casey!" Greg said, flying into her office.

The redhead looked up. "I ought to kill you myself." She teased. "Trying to give Olivia a shot."

He chuckled. "Now Casey would that be very lawyer like?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Greg what do you want, or are you just here to hassle me?"

"How about a little bit of both." He said with a grin plastered on his face.

He looked so ridiculous, Casey had to laugh. "Gregory Saunders, you are something else."

"I've been told so." He retorted.

She shook her head in amusement. Wondering how such an immature scientist could make her laugh with jokes that weren't even funny. _I think I'm high_. She thought to herself.

Greg was now watching her with intent interest.

"See something you like?" she teased and immediately turned pink.

_Casey what is wrong with you…oh wait lots of things I'm talking to myself. _She pushed the demon and the angel of her shoulders.

Greg was beaming.

_Oh shit I don't wanna know what he's thinking. _

_Yes you do, you like him. _

_No I don't…Oh my God I am insane. I'm arguing with myself. _

Casey ran her fingers through her hair. He stood up.

"What did you want Greg?" she asked, trying very hard to divert his attention from her moment of flirty relapses.

"Dinner." He said. "Dinner with a pretty red headed lawyer."

Casey opened her mouth.

"Don't even think about refusing or else I will be back every day. You will never get any work done."

She shut it.

He grinned. "Seven it is." He said "I'll pick you up.

As soon as he was out of her office, Casey went and banged her head against her desk.

_Casey you are complete moron. _

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sara and Munch would not shut up. They were arguing like two kids in a sandbox and then would completely turn the other direction and flirt before turning back to arguing.

"This is better than tv." Melinda said with a grin.

Warrick smirked. "All that it's missing is the popcorn."

"And the drinks."

"And the cozy setting of a movie theater." Warrick said.

He surveyed Melinda. He knew this case had brought her marriage to a divorce. He wondered how she was holding up.

"You okay?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

"I mean the job and your marriage."

She made a face. "Someone has to do it and maybe I was unconsciously ready for him to leave."

Warrick nodded understandingly. "Same with my marriage. Went down the drain. Too busy."

Melinda sighed. "Us and our jobs." She said.

Warrick was something interesting alright. He was only a little younger than her and she knew he got along with kids.

_Melinda put on those brakes because it is way too early for you to be thinking about a second father for Natasha. _

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I'm gonna quickly post the last chappy..it'll be the epilogue. Yeah it feels like it's not done…but I feel like doing one of those things where I skip a couple years down the road.


	15. Epilogue

Epilogue

Thanks to D.J. scales, Callisto Insanity's Angel, DrusillaBraun, FoxyWombat, fallinidentity, obsessedwithstabler, and ACertainJustice for their reviews!

Yes Bunny head… it is over.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: I'm actually glad that this is ending. I never know a crossover could be so hard. So many characters and trying my best to include them all was hard. I hoped it still turned out okay though. This is the final chapter, wrapping things up. I know it can't be a win win situation for everyone because let's face it, they're not all gonna move to either Vegas or New York for their significant other, so I'm trying to make a happy ending and make it a bit real as well. Enjoy!

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Life throws you curves and you learn to swerve.

They swung and they missed

Then hit the ground

Wishing on wishes

Manhattan, New York

Olivia and Elliot were snuggled together on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy. A baby slept in Olivia's arms as Elliot wrapped and unwrapped his fingers from a lock of his wife's hair. He smiled down at this girls. Both were sleeping peacefully. Their little girl had the same golden brown hair as Olivia, even though it was only fuzz at the moment. Her eyes, however, were a combination of them both. Blue green and big that melted her father's heart with the softest giggle or coo.

She would scream at night and both detectives would be up and by her side before two seconds passed. Elliot had made her crib and painted her room full of flowers, horses, and other things that little girls liked. Olivia was the picture perfect mother, raising her daughter in ways that she was never raised. Elliot thought Olivia in motherhood was beautiful. She was gorgeous before but ever since, Mandy Catalina Stabler, had come home with them, she had had a glow around her.

Work could wait tonight. No case in the world would come between the moment they were experiencing now. It was their family. A dream they had both chased and thought they had lost, only to be given a second try. Elliot desperately wanted it because it was he had grown up with, Olivia because she never had one. Nothing could tear them apart from the little bundle of blubbering goodness that Olivia had carried for nine months and a day.

Elliot gently lifted them both up and carried them upstairs. He tucked both in kissing each in turn on the forehead. A feeling told him Mandy would grow up just like her mother, strong, determined, and with a sense of right and wrong that none would ever compare with.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Catherine sat cross legged in her twin three year olds' bedroom. A boy and a girl both stared back up at her with crystal clear sapphire eyes. They were on either side of here with their little eyes wide as she told them the story of Sherlock Holmes.

Grissom watched from the doorway, his eyes filled with joy and content. He smiled at her, a smile which she returned, dazzling his senses. The twins begged him to read with them. He obeyed because he knew denying the two was impossible.

"Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent." He murmured to his twins as they unattached themselves from Catherine and unto his lap.

He was lost under two strawberry blonde heads, just as Lindsay poked her head into the doorway, chuckling at the sight of her stepfather being bombarded by her young siblings.

Catherine smiled at her eldest. In the years that had passed since Catherine almost died, Lindsay had made good for herself. She had been accepted in Julliard, majoring in dance. It was obvious her mother's talent had been passed on to her, only this time to be used in a more sophisticated way.

Grissom opened his arms and welcomed his adopted daughter as well. Somehow he managed to hold his wife, Lindsay, and two very bubbling twins as they finished the story. His clear strong voice, creating a blanket of security for the family that had taken so long to find each other.

Manhattan, New York

Casey and Greg sat in a Starbucks window booth staring out at the falling snow. She was dressed in a warm green jacket that accented her eyes and a white scarf protecting her throat from the cold. Greg has one easy going jeans with a Greenday T-shirt. They were laughing as they chatted about work, music, and random topics that had nothing to do with anything.

Greg had given up his job in Las Vegas to join Melinda's forensic team in New York. He wanted to be close to Casey because he had never felt so connected to another human being before in his life. He had always been a flirt, but Casey was the only girl to ever capture his attention and keep it.

Casey couldn't believe how things turned out. She had been beyond depressed when the CSIs started to pack up and leave. She had felt a connection with Greg and to have him out of her life so soon after he just entered had just torn her soul apart. He stayed though. She couldn't follow him because she knew Alex's choice way before Alex even knew. Now Casey was the bureau chief of the DA's office in Manhattan while Greg was the swing shift supervisor of the forensic team in Manhatten. It had all worked out. Better than Casey ever expected.

Greg took her by the hand and that shining look in his eye made her heart skip a beat. He went down on one knee as her mouth dropped open.

"Will you marry me?" he asked softly, nervously, almost as if he was afraid she would say no.

She felt tears fill her green eyes. Then unable to speak, she simply nodded as Greg's arms enveloped her and applause filled the room.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Alex Cabot made her way into her new house in the outskirts of the glittering city of Las Vegas. It had taken a lot for her to leave her job in New York, but Nick was worth it. He proposed to her the day before he had to leave for Las Vegas again, telling her that he would stay in New York or she could follow him to Vegas. After much deliberation, Alex decided to go to Las Vegas. She had heard that the DA's office there needed a boost in their wins. It was ironic because their city had the best CSI but the worst prosecutors. She left Casey in her previous position and made her way to the desert to boost the number of convicted felons.

An arm snaked around her waist and rubbed her swelling belly. She spun in Nick's arms to plant a gentle kiss on him. He smiled down at her as Antonio raced downstairs and leaped into his adopted mother's arms. Nick intercepted, catching the young boy, in fear that the weight would harm the unborn child.

Alex smiled at them both. The men in her life. She kicked off her heads and made her way into the kitchen as Nick went to help Antonio with his homework. She paused as she looked out the kitchen doorway at Nick sitting beside her young child on the couch, trying to work through math problems. She glanced down at her left ring finger as a sparkling diamond shined back at her. She smiled. It was the picture perfect family…all the family she could ever want.

Manhattan, New York

Sara thought she would be the last to give up her job for romance, but she found herself proving it wrong. Here she was a level two CSI in Melinda's forensic team. It was weird, living in the bustling city of New York, where the main concentration is corporate businesses not tourism. The crimes were just as heinous but now at night, she had someone go to home to.

Munch had been an annoyance at first. Sara could not believe how any woman could marry him, much less four. They formed a fast friendship though, when Sara realized that Munch would not let her sarcasm outdo his. They kept in touch when she returned to Vegas, keeping a long distance relationship, visiting each other during the holidays.

Finally it had been too much and choosing between her job or losing the detective had been the hardest choice of her life, but she was satisfied that she had made the right one. The CSI's from Vegas came to visit once in a while. They came to see how the two of their youngest former CSIs were doing. Sara and Greg working in the same lab again. It was nice to have a familiar face around, even if he was swing, and she was graveyard.

Strangely enough it was their arguments that kept things interesting for both of them. Their sarcastic attitudes rearing its head to make them both thing of clever comebacks. Sara laughed to herself as John entered the apartment. It was interesting enough, love, it was bound to get even more interesting.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Warrick had no regrets. He walked away from the job in New York with Melinda's phone number, but he was not sorry that it hadn't worked out. He could not leave Vegas and she could not leave New York. She had a daughter there, Warrick wasn't sure if he was ready to be a father, so after much deliberation, they had agreed it was for the best.

He learned a lot from Melinda, about flings, sparks, and chasing after what you needed not what others wanted you to do. They were still friends, close, perhaps almost even best friends, but relationship was not their thing. He grinned as the entered the Las Vegas Crime Lab, people were missing, but life went on. Right now, it was perfect. Everyone was safe, with people they loved, and doing what the loved. He sat down in the breakroom, waiting for Grissom to hand him an assignment. The work was there. The work was everything he needed until someone that he could truly connect with came into his life.

Manhattan, New York

Melinda sneaked a glance across the autopsy table, toward Fin. He winked at her. They had kept their newfound relationship under wraps for a few months now. After trying so hard with Warrick, Melinda found herself easing into a relationship with Fin. It was so easy to become intertwined with his life. He was from the same squad. They understood the same crimes. It was so perfect.

He had hit it off with her daughter and every night, Melinda knew she could count on him to hold her as she vented the things she had seen that day, knowing full well that he knew, and understood the horror that seemed to never leave her skin when she walked out of the morgue. Her former husband had never been able to understand and now to have someone like Fin, reading her mind and loving her for her emotion made Melinda realize that sometimes an end is another beginning.

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Author's Note

That's it folks! I hope you guys enjoyed a sweet ending to that because I do love a sweet ending. Everyone finally settling down, being happy with life. I think that's what's supposed to happen at the end of a story that doesn't call for a sequel. Enjoy!


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